.UCSB  f 


RECOLLECTIONS  OF 

A  NONAGENARIAN 


Life  in  New  England,  the  Middle  West,  and  New  York, 

including  a  Mission  to  Great  Britain  in  Behalf 

of  the  Southern  Freedmen ;  together 

with  Scenes  in  California 


REV.  JOHN  C.  HOLBROOK,  D.  D.,  LL.  D. 


"  Sweet  odors  reach  us  yet, 
Brought  sweetly  from  the  fields  long  left  behind." 


BOSTON 

flMlgrim  IPr 


CHICAGO 


Copyright,  1897 
BY  JOHN  C.  HOLBROOK 

All  rights  reserved 


REQJUESTS   FOR  PUBLICATION 


ACTION    OF   THE    MONDAY   CLUB    IN    SAN   FRAN- 
CISCO 

On  motion  of  Rev.  W.  C.  Pond,  D.  D.,  the 
following  action  was  taken  unanimously  by 
the  Monday  Club  of  San  Francisco  and  vi- 
cinity, California,  July  5,  1897  : 

WHEREAS,  It  has  been  reported  to  this  Club  that  our 
venerable  brother,  Rev.  J.  C.  Holbrook,  D.  D.,  has 
yielded  to  the  request  of  many  friends  to  issue  an  auto- 
biography ;  therefore, 

Resolved,  /,  That  this  Monday  Club  of  Congregational 
Ministers  and  Laymen  adds  its  request  to  those  already 
made,  and  rejoices  that  the  good  work  done  by  our 
brother  in  various  departments  of  service  to  Christ  will 
have  the  accurate  and  vivid  picturing  which  only  the 
worker's  own  hand  can  give. 

Resolved,  //,  That  in  our  opinion  that  portion  of  his 
ministry  in  which  he  stood  in  the  forefront  of  the  conten- 
tion for  the  right  of  a  church  and  a  minister  to  be  Con- 
gregational without  reproach  and  without  suspicion,  in 
the  West  as  well  as  in  the  East,  and  all  over  the  world  as 
3 


4  REQUESTS    FOR   PUBLICATION 

well  as  in  New  England,  should  receive  special  attention, 
to  the  end  that  the  memory  of  those  heroic  pioneers, 
who,  half  a  century  ago,  were  standing  for  this  right,  may 
be  held  in  due  honor,  and  be  not  allowed  to  fade. 

SOME    LETTERS 

Extract  from  a  letter  from  Rev.  G.  S.  F. 
Savage,  D.  D.,  Secretary  of  the  Board  of 
Directors  of  Chicago  Theological  Seminary, 
who  has  been  for  fifty  years  prominent  and 
active  in  Congregational  work  in  Illinois  : 

CHICAGO,  July  29,  1897. 

MY  DEAR  DR.  HOLBROOK:  I  was  much  gratified  with 
the  action  of  the  San  Francisco  Monday  Club,  urging 
you  to  prepare  your  autobiography.  I  certainly  hope  you 
will  comply  with  the  request,  and  that  without  delay. 
Your  life  has  been  identified  with  the  history  of  our 
denomination  in  a  remarkable  manner  for  three  fourths 
of  a  century ;  and  you  have  had  part  in  many  notable 
enterprises,  East  and  West,  the  record  of  which  should 
be  preserved. 

From  Rev.  A.  S.  Kedzie,  Grand  Haven, 
Michigan,  who  was  for  fourteen  years  finan- 
cial agent  of  the  Chicago  Theological  Semi- 
nary, a  corporate  member  and  a  cooperator 
in  its  establishment  from  the  first : 

I  am  glad  to  learn  that  you,  as  requested,  consent  to 
write  for  publication  the  recollections  of  your  lifetime  as 
a  nonagenarian.  Included  in  your  book,  doubtless,  will 


REQUESTS    FOR    PUBLICATION  5 

be  an  account  of  Chicago  Theological  Seminary.  You 
were  one  of  the  charter  members,  and  held  a  seat  in  its 
Board  of  Directors  from  1854  to  1864.  During  those 
ten  years  the  Seminary  came  into  life  and  form  and 
place  and  power,  developing  its  peculiar  characteristics, 
wherein,  during  that  formative  period  of  its  life,  it  was 
largely  helped  by  your  action  in  the  Board,  and  also  by 
your  advocacy  in  the  Congregational  Herald,  then  edited 
by  you,  and  in  whose  office  the  Board  sometimes  held 
meetings. 

From  Rev.  S.  H.  Willey,  D.  D.,  one  of 
the  home  missionary  pioneers  of  California, 
and  the  founder  and  first  pastor  of  the  First 
Presbyterian  Church  in  San  Francisco. 

I  am  glad  to  know  your  autobiography  is  in  press.  I 
remember  once  urging  you  to  write  it.  It  was  due  to 
you  and  to  truth. 


PREFATORY    NOTE 


At  the  earnest  solicitation  of  some  of  my 
relatives  and  personal  friends,  including  the 
Congregational  Monday  Club  of  San  Fran- 
cisco, California,  I  have  been  induced  to 
write  out  some  autobiographical  notes  and 
reminiscences  of  my  life,  and  they  are  now 
printed,  not  so  much  for  general  circulation 
as  for  their  pleasure.  I  hesitated  long  before 
complying  with  their  request,  lest  I  should  be 
regarded  as  entertaining  an  undue  sense  of 
the  importance  of  my  life,  and  should  be 
accused  of  egotism,  since  of  necessity  I 
should  be  compelled  to  use  the  personal  pro- 
noun. In  the  prosecution  of  my  task  I 
have  recorded  many  particulars  that  would 
naturally  interest  those  for  whom  I  wrote, 
but  which  might  be  regarded  as  unimportant 
by  others ;  and  I  may  properly  add,  that 
should  these  notes  seem  to  be  self-laudatory, 
what  I  have 'written  was  necessary  in  order 


PREFATORY    NOTE  7 

to  give  my  friends   a  due  conception  of  my 
life-work. 

It  is  also  proper  to  remark  that  the  letters 
from  Great  Britain,  from  which  I  have  given 
copious  extracts,  were  mostly  written  to  my 
wife,  who  naturally  desired  to  learn  how  I 
was  received  there,  and  what  were  the  results 
of  my  mission  to  that  country.  If,  therefore, 
this  volume  should  fall  into  the  hands  of  per- 
sons outside  of  the  circle  for  which  it  was 
prepared,  they  will  please  bear  in  mind  for 
whom  and  for  what  purpose  it  was  written. 

j.  c.  H. 
Stockton,  California. 


CONTENTS 

Requests  for  Publication 3 

Prefatory  Note 6 

CHAPTER   I 

Birth  and  Parentage — Boyhood — Schools — Military  Acad- 
emy— Captain  Alden  Partridge 15 

CHAPTER   II 

Apprenticeship  to  Business — The  Famous  Book-pub- 
lishing Establishment  at  Brattleboro,  Vt. — Study 
French 31 

CHAPTER   III 

Politics — Revival  of  Religion  and  Conversion  and  Begin- 
ning of  the  Christian  Life 34 

CHAPTER   IV 

Entrance  on  Business — Marriage — Appointed  Aid-de- 
camp— Militia  Parades 38 

CHAPTER   V 

Removal  to  Boston  and  Bookselling  there — Old  Book- 
sellers and  Literary  Men — Join  Dr.  Lyman  Beecher's 


CONTENTS  9 

Church — The  Unitarian  Controversy — Evangelist 
C.  G.  Finney — Considering  Entering  the  Ministry — 
Plan  the  Comprehensive  Commentary  on  the  Bible 
and  the  Encyclopedia  of  Religious  Knowledge — 
Return  to  Brattleboro  and  Resumption  of  Business 
there 41 

CHAPTER   VI 

Lay  Preaching — Interest  in  Temperance — O.  S.  Fowler — 
Henry  Ward  Beecher — Railroad  Survey — Founding 
of  Vermont  Asylum  for  the  Insane  ....  48 

CHAPTER   VII 

Removal  to  the  West — Approbation  to  Preach — Home 
Missionary  Work — Death  of  Wife  and  Son — Trip 
to  Wisconsin  and  Dubuque,  Iowa  ....  56 

CHAPTER    VIII 

First  Visit  to  Dubuque,  Iowa — Call  to  the  Pastorate 
there — The  Place  and  its  Geographical  Position — 
Its  First  Settlement  and  Inhabitants — Trip  up  the 
Mississippi  River — Falls  of  St.  Anthony  .  .  61 

CHAPTER    IX 

Beginning  of  Dubuque  Pastorate — Second  Marriage — 
Church  becomes  Congregational — Journey  to  New 
England  for  Funds — Sabbath  Keeping  ...  65 

CHAPTER   X 

Building  a  New  House  of  Worship — Coming  of  the  Iowa 
Band — Founding  of  Iowa  College — Some  Wisconsin, 
Neighbors 73 


I O  CONTENTS 

CHAPTER    XI 

Early  Labors  in  Dubuque — A  Historical  Discourse — 
Progress  of  the  Church  and  City — A  Great  Revival — 
Correspondencewith  Eastern  Religious  Papers  .  79 

CHAPTER   XII 

Importance  of  Revivals  of  Religion — Revival  Labors  in 
Illinois,  Wisconsin,  and  Iowa — The  News-Letter — 
Candidates  for  the  Ministry — Elected  a  Corporate 
Member  of  the  American  Board — Beloit  Educational 
Convention 86 

CHAPTER  XIII 

A  Memorable  Epoch — Two  Great  Conventions  at  Albany 
and  Boston  ...'....,...  93 

CHAPTER   XIV 

Beginning  of  Congregationalism  in  Chicago — Death  of 
Son — Removal  to  Chicago — Labors  there — New 
England  Church  Formed — Congregational  Herald 
issued — Dedication  of  Plymouth  Church  Building — 
Founding  of  the  Chicago  Theological  Seminary — 
Recalled  to  Dubuque  and  Return  there  .  .  108 

CHAPTER   XV 

Resumption  of  Work  at  Dubuque — Erection  of  a  New 
House  of  Worship — Trip  to  California — Excursions 
in  California 124 

CHAPTER   XVI 

Excursions  in  California — Mission  San  Jos6 — The  Gey- 
sers or  Boiling  Springs 128 


CONTENTS  1 1 

CHAPTER   XVII 
The  Famous  Yosemite  Valley 137 

CHAPTER   XVIII 
The  Gigantic  Sequoias  or  Big  Trees 147 

CHAPTER  XIX 

Other  Excursions — Hydraulic  Mining — Visit  to  Downie- 
ville  and  Rev.  Mr.  Pond — Return  to  Dubuque — Storm 
at  Sea — Importance  of  the  Pacific  Coast — Children 
Adopted — Anti-Slavery  Excitement — Breaking  Out 
of  the  Civil  War 157 

CHAPTER   XX 

Agency  for  Iowa  College — Doctorate  Conferred — Call  to 
the  Pastorate  at  Homer,  N.  Y 167 

CHAPTER   XXI 

The  Congregational  Church  at  Homer,  N.  Y. — Labors 
there — Called  to  a  New  Mission 173 

CHAPTER  XXII 

Mission  to  Great  Britain  for  the  American  Missionary 
Association  in  Behalf  of  the  Southern  Freedmen — 
A  Few  Days  in  London — Freedmen's  Aid  Society — 
Meetings  at  Hereford  and  in  South  Wales  .  .  181 

CHAPTER   XXIII 

Birmingham — A  Quaker  Meeting — A  Tea-Meeting — 
Manchester — Kendal 192 


1 2  CONTENTS 

CHAPTER   XXIV 

The  Lake  Region — Homes  of  Celebrated  Authors — Eng- 
lish Roads — Keswick 197 

CHAPTER   XXV 

Gretna  Green — The  Burns  Region — Irvine — James  Mont- 
gomery —  Kilmarnock  —  Alexander  Smith  —  Pais- 
ley   205 

CHAPTER   XXVI 

Edinburgh — Dr.  Guthrie — A  Great  Meeting — Melrose 
and  Abbotsford — Relics  of  Sir  Walter  Scott  214 

CHAPTER   XXVII 

Meeting  at  Hawick — Visit  to  James  Douglas  of  Cavers 
— Excursion  to  Jedburgh  through  the  scenes  of 
the  "Lay  of  the  Last  Minstrel" — Return  to  Edin- 
burgh   220 

CHAPTER   XXVIII 
Alloa — Stirling — Loch  Lomond 231 

CHAPTER   XXIX 

Preach  in  London  for  Mr.  Binney  and  Dr.  Raleigh — 
Stratford-on-Avon — Birmingham  Again — Bath  237 

CHAPTER  XXX 

Bath — Old  Cathedrals — Olney,  Cowper  and  Newton — 
Doddridge ,  244 


CONTENTS  13 

CHAPTER   XXXI 

Coventry — London — Rev.  Samuel  Martin — Opening  of 
Parliament — The  Queen — Bunhill  Fields  Burying- 
Ground — Greenwich — My  Time  of  Absence  Extended 
— Nottingham 257 

CHAPTER  XXXII 

Lincoln — Old  Boston — Scrooby  and  Austerfield — Hamp- 
ton Court — Archbishop  of  York  in  St.  Paul's — 
Rotherham  —  Cambridge  —  Bristol  and  Mueller's 
Orphan  Houses — Brentwood — Chelmsford — Colches- 
ter— Antiquities — Dr.  W.  W.  Patton  to  Succeed 
me 264 

CHAPTER   XXXIII 

Tour  on  the  Continent — Paris — Italy — Switzerland,     272 
CHAPTER   XXXIV 

London  again — Joined  by  Dr.  Patton — Journey  to  Scot- 
land— York  Cathedral — Duke  of  Northumberland's 
Castle — Meeting  of  Presbyterian  Assembly — Meet- 
ing at  Dalkeith — Duke  of  Buccleuch's  Grounds — 
Roslin  Chapel — Valley  of  the  Esk — Trip  to  Inver- 
ness   278 

CHAPTER  XXXV 

Ireland — Giant's  Causeway — Dublin — Menai  Straits — 
Carnarvon  Castle — North  Wales — Chester — Liver- 
pool— Return  to  Homer 284 

CHAPTER   XXXVI 

Resume  Labors  at  Homer — New  Church  at  Cortland — 
Dr.  Charles  Jewett — Council  at  Washington  City — 


1 4  CONTENTS 

Great  Revival  in  Homer — Revival  in  Syracuse — 
Second  Visit  to  California — Call  to  Pastorate  at 
Stockton — Removal  to  Stockton 288 

CHAPTER   XXXVII 

Recalled  to  the  East — Organization  of  the  New  York 
State  Home  Missionary  Society — Growth  of  Con- 
gregationalism there — Work  in  that  State  .  294 

CHAPTER   XXXVIII 

Portland,  Me. — Preaching  in  the  West  Church — Removal 
to  California  Again — Residence  in  Oakland — Sup- 
plying Vacant  Pulpits — Ministerial  Relief  Society 
Formed — Final  Settlement  in  Stockton — Eighty- 
sixth  Birthday  Sermon 301 

CHAPTER  XXXIX 

Semi-centennial  Celebration  of  Dubuque  Church      .     306 

CHAPTER   XL 
Death  of  my  Wife — Tributes  to  her  Worth    .     .     .     315 

CHAPTER   XLI 

Conclusion — Degree  of  LL.  D.  conferred  by  Norwich 
University — Importance  of  the  Nineteenth  Century 
and  its  Vast  Progress — Extract  from  Sermon  on 
"  The  Signs  of  the  Times,"  preached  at  the  Dubuque 
Semi-centennial  Celebration 323 

APPENDIX 
Eighty-sixth  Birthday  Sermon — Norwich  University     33 1 


RECOLLECTIONS  OF  A  NONAGENARIAN 


CHAPTER   I 

BIRTH  AND    PARENTAGE — BOYHOOD SCHOOLS 

MILITARY    ACADEMY 

The  century  through  nearly  the  whole  of 
which  I  have  lived,  may  be  regarded,  in 
many  respects,  as  the  most  remarkable  of 
any  in  the  history  of  the  world.  I  began  life 
near  the  close  of  Jefferson's  administration  as 
president  of  the  United  States,  and  have 
therefore  lived  under  every  president  save 
two.  And  it  is  a  notable  fact,  illustrative  of 
the  exceeding  brevity  of  our  nation's  history, 
that  my  father's  life  and  my  own  together 
outspan  that  history  by  several  years.  My 
father  was  born  in  Weymouth,  Massachu- 
setts, near  Boston,  in  1763,  or  thirteen  years 
before  the  Declaration  of  Independence,  and 
twenty-five  before  the  adoption  of  the  Consti- 
tution that  transformed  the  thirteen  original 
15 


1 6  RECOLLECTIONS    OF   A    NONAGENARIAN 

colonies  into  a  nation.  He  recollected  dis- 
tinctly the  excitement  caused  by  the  battles  of 
Concord  and  Lexington,  and  could  almost 
have  heard  "  the  shot  that,"  as  Emerson  says, 
"  was  heard  around  the  world."'  I  have  a  book 
containing  the  Holbrook  genealogy,  that 
shows  that  my  father  was  a  direct  descendant 
of  Governor  Bradford  of  Plymouth  colony, 
his  great-great-grandmother  having  been 
Welthea  Bradford,  daughter  of  the  gov- 
ernor. 

But  brief  as  has  been  the  existence  of  the 
United  States  as  a  nation,  yet  how  wonderful 
has  been  its  growth  from  a  few  feeble  confed- 
erate, local  organizations  to  a  place  among 
the  foremost  nations  of  the  earth,  and  from 
three  millions  of  people  to  over  seventy  mil- 
lions !  Of  much  of  this  progress  I  have  been 
a  witness,  together  with  many  events,  secular 
and  religious,  that  have  characterized  this 
century  now  about  to  end. 

I  first  saw  the  light  January  7,  1808, 
according  to  my  father's  family  record,  in 
Brattleboro,  in  the  state  of  Vermont,  one  of 
the  most  beautiful  villages  in  our  land.  It 
is  situated  on  the  west  bank  of  the  lovely 
Connecticut  river,  the  largest  stream  in  New 
England,  and  in  the  midst  of  the  most  roman- 


MIRTH    AND    JPARKNTACE  1J 

tic  scenery.  A  mountain  peak  one  thousand 
feet  high  overlooks  it  from  the  opposite  shore 
of  the  river,  at  whose  foot  the  stream  winds  its 
tortuous  way.  To  the  west  are  the  foot-hills 
of  the  Green  Mountains,  and  on  the  north, 
the  fine,  fertile  meadows  through  which  the 
West  river,  that  rises  in  the  mountains  to  the 
northwest,  flows  to  its  junction  with  the  larger 
stream.  Beyond  these  meadows  is  seen  a 
range  of  very  picturesque  hills,  the  place 
chosen  by  Rudyard  Kipling,  the  novelist,  for 
his  abode,  and  from  which  the  village  is  in 
full  view.  The  first  President  D wight  of 
Yale  College,  in  his  published  account  of  his 
journey  by  carriage,  man}'  years  ago,  from 
New  Haven  to  Canada,  says  that  the  view 
of  the  village  and  its  surroundings  which 
burst  upon  him  from  Prospect  or  Cemetery 
Hill,  as  he  approached  from  the  south,  was 
the  most  entrancing  that  he  had  ever  wit- 
nessed. 

My  mother  was  born  in  Shrewsbury,  Mas- 
sachusetts, and  was  the  daughter  of  Judge 
Luke  Knowlton,  who  emigrated  to  New- 
fane,  Vermont,  while  she  was  young,  where 
afterwards  she  was  married  to  my  father. 
She  was  of  a  remarkably  cheerful,  hopeful, 
and  vivacious  temperament,  and  from  her  I 


l8  RECOLLECTION'S    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

inherited  much  of  those  characteristics,  and 
from  her  I  received  religious  influences  that 
have  abided  with  me  through  life.  Her  piety 
was  deep  and  sincere,  and  her  prayers  have 
helped  to  shape  my  life.  I  had  no  doubt 
that  she  desired  from  the  first  that  I  should 
become  a  minister  of  the  gospel,  and  her 
prayers  to  that  effect,  though  the  answer  was 
delayed  a  while,  were  at  last  answered,  and 
for  that  I  shall  ever  be  grateful  to  her  and 
to  Him  who  answers  prayer.  I  never  lost 
the  impression  of  her  fervid  devotions  as  she 
conducted  family  worship  in  the  absence  of 
my  father,  and  one  favorite  petition  has  al- 
ways dwelt  in  my  mind  as  she  used  to  utter  it 
from  her  heart,  "  Draw  us  by  the  cords  of 
Thy  love,  and  we  shall  run  after  Thee." 
What  an  unspeakable  blessing  has  been  my 
heritage  from  such  godly  parents  as  were 
mine  ! 

My  brother,  ex-Governor  Holbrook  of  Ver- 
mont, learning  that  I  was  preparing  this  work. 
sent  me  the  following  tribute  to  our  mother  : 

She  was  a  superior  woman  in  many  respects ;  a  great 
beauty  in  person  and  of  talented  mind,  and  had  the  gift 
of  imagination,  as  well  as  reasoning  powers.  She  was 
very  fond  of  poetry,  and  retained  much  of  it  through 
life.  I  have  heard  her  repeat  whole  paragraphs,  and 


BOYHOOD  1 9 

once  a  long  passage  from  "  The  Lady  of  the  Lake,"  and 
in  her  last  days  I  read  much  of  such  literature  to  her. 
She  was  quite  a  theologian,  and  in  long  and  heated  argu- 
ments would  get  the  better  of  our  father.  She  was  more 
thoroughly  balanced  in  mind  than  he,  and  less  affected 
by  prejudice.  He  was  a  very  strong  man,  and  of  stern 
piety,  but  subject  to  prejudices  that  sometimes  warped 
his  judgment. 

Referring  to  her  personal  appearance,  my 
father  used  to  relate  that,  when  a  young  man, 
he  was  once  at  her  father's  house  on  business, 
when  suddenly  the  door  of  the  room  opened 
and  a  young  woman  appeared,  with  flashing 
black  eyes,  and  round,  ruddy  face,  and  he 
found  himself  captured  for  life.  It  was  lave 
at  first  sight;  those  remarkably  bright  eyes, 
which  were  a  marked  feature,  sent  an  irre- 
sistible dart  to  his  heart. 

I  spent  my  early  boyhood  in  Brattleboro, 
drinking  in  the  pure  and  invigorating  air  of 
the  Green  Mountain  state,  to  which,  no  doubt, 
I  ovv*e  in  part  my  longevity,  so  much  beyond 
the  period  usually  allotted  to  man.  At  first 
I  attended  the  district  school,  and  there  ac- 
quired the  rudiments  of  education.  Well  do  I 
remember  the  stern  visage  of  the  tall  teacher, 
who  might  well  have  stood  as  the  original  of 
Goldsmith's  celebrated  pedagogue,  in  regard 
to  whom  the  people  "wondered  how  one 


20  KKCOI. LECTIONS  OF    A     NOXAG KX ARIAN 

small  head  could  carry  all  he  knew."  He 
was  a  most  rigid  disciplinarian,  and  resorted 
to  measures  to  enforce  his  rule  which  were 
peculiar,  and  which  could  hardly  be  imitated 
at  the  present  day. 

One  of  these  was  the  compelling  of  a  guilty 
boy  to  sit  on  a  front  seat  between  two  girls. 
Another  was,  to  place  such  a  one  on  a  table 
in  the  middle  of  the  room,  to  stand  on  one 
leg  as  long  as  he  could  endure  it,  and  then 
change  to  the  other,  alternately.  Then  there 
was  an  immense  fireplace,  closed  in  the  sum- 
mer by  a  fireboard,  and  it  was  a  favorite 
mode  of  punishment  to  put  a  refractory  boy 
inside  for  meditation  and  until  he  should 
repent.  One  boy,  it  was  said,  on  such  an 
occasion  climbed  up  the  chimney  and  came 
out  at  the  top.  Another,  when  he  came  out, 
caused  an  uproarious  laugh,  as  he  had  made 
a  blackamoor  of  himself  with  the  soot  on  his 
hands  and  face.  What  progress  I  made  in 
learning  in  this  primitive  school  I  do  not  dis- 
tinctly remember,  but  I  think  it  was  not 
much,  as  I  was  then  an  active  boy  and  more 
fond  of  play  than  of  books. 

I  was  early  impressed  with  the  deep  and 
earnest  piety  of  my  parents.  Family  worship 
was  regularly  conducted  by  my  father  or,  in 


SUNDAY    SKKVH'KS  21 

his  absence,  as  I  have  said,  by  my  mother. 
The  Sabbath  was  strictly  observed,  and  the 
whole  family  attended  public  worship.  I  had 
five  sisters  older  than  myself,  and  all  were 
professed  Christians.  I  remember  that  the 
Congregational  house  of  worship,  of  the  old- 
fashioned  style  of  architecture,  "two  stories 
in  height,  painted  white,  and  abounding  in 
windows  above  and  below,  with  a  tall  spire," 
stood  on  the  bleakest  spot  on  the  common,  and 
was  furnished  with  no  means  for  heating,  and 
there  the  audience  sat  shivering  for  two  hours, 
the  frequent  length  of  the  services.  My 
brother,  to  whom  I  have  already  referred,  four 
years  my  junior,  in  some  reminiscences  of  the 
time,  prepared  at  the  request  of  the  present 
pastor  of  the  church,  thus  alludes  to  those 
services : 

The  gallery  at  the  end  opposite  the  pulpit  was  occupied 
by  the  singers,  consisting  of  some  thirty  or  forty  persons 
of  both  sexes.  There  was  no  instrument  but  a  violincello 
and  flute,  and  the  old  fugue  tunes  were  in  fashion.  Through 
these  the  choir  used  to  tear  at  the  top  of  their  voices,  the 
audience  thinking  them  grand  and  inspiring.  I  remember 
how  startling  some  of  old  Dr.  Watts's  hymns  used  to  sound 
with  all  the  ringing  changes  and  repetitions  of  the  fugue 
movement,  each  part  taking  up  one  line  after  the  other, 
and  chasing  each  other  till  they  all  came  out  finally  to- 
gether on  the  last  line.  I  remember  some  of  these  hymns  : 


22  KKCOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

"  Lord,  what  a  thoughtless  wretch  was  I,"  etc. 
"  Hark  from  the  tombs,  a  doleful  sound,"  etc. 

Among  the  ministers  who  supplied  the  pulpit  by  ex- 
change with  the  pastor,  was  Rev.  Dr.  Taggart  of  Colerain, 
Massachusetts,  a  Scotchman,  a  very  strong  and  able  man 
and  preacher,  and  who  at  one  period  represented  his  dis- 
trict in  Congress,  and  when  his  party  wished,  for  any  rea- 
son, to  gain  time,  they  depended  on  him  to  speak,  as  he 
could  do  for  a  whole  day  or  more,  on  any  question.  His 
sermons  were  from  an  hour  to  an  hour  and  a  half  long, 
and  extended  frequently  to  sixteenthly,  and  the  different 
divisions  were  introduced  by  the  phrase,  "Ah!  but  fur- 
rier." He  used  to  pray  with  his  eyes  wide  open,  and  they 
would  follow  persons  coming  late,  clear  to  their  pews  near 
the  pulpit,  he  looking  down  to  see  that  they  were  properly 
located,  his  prayer  going  on  straight  and  regular.  I  re- 
member one  favorite  passage  which  he  used  often,  that 
"  Zion  might  be  beautiful  as  Tirza  and  comely  as  Jerusa- 
lem, and  terrible  as  an  army  with  banners.11  We  boys 
could  not  comprehend  wherein  banners  were  terrible,  as 
shooting-irons  we  knew  were.  He  was  usually  a  guest  at 
my  father's  house,  and  in  conducting  family  worship  he 
stood  with  his  hands  resting  on  the  back  of  a  chair,  facing 
the  front  windows  of  the  room,  and  as  the  horses  with 
sleigh-bells  passed  by  on  the  street,  he  would  lean  for- 
ward and  follow  them  with  his  eyes  till  they  were  out  of 
sight,  his  prayer  going  on  uninterruptedly. 

One  of  the  early  recollections  of  my  youth 
was  the  appearance  at  my  father's  table  one 
day,  of  Obookiah,  a  young  native  of  the 
Sandwich  Islands.  He  had  been  brought  to 
Xevv  Haven  by  a  sea  captain,  and  one  day  he 


SCHOOLS  33 

was  discovered  sitting  on  the  door-step  of  one 
of  the  college  buildings  and  weeping  bitterly 
because  there  was  no  one  to  instruct  him. 
This  led  to  the  establishment  of  a  mission 
school  at  Cornwall,  Connecticut,  where  he 
was  sent,  and  led  to  the  subsequent  despatch 
of  missionaries  by  our  American  Board  of 
Commissioners  for  Foreign  Missions,  to  those 
islands,  and  to  their  evangelization.  Oboo- 
kiah,  however,  died  in  this  country.  At  the 
time  I  referred  to,  he,  with  one  of  the  teach- 
ers, I  think,  of  the  school  passed  through  my 
native  place,  and  were  guests  of  my  father's 
house,  and  was  an  object  of  great  interest 
among  Christians.  At  the  time  of  the  visit 
referred  to,  there  happened  to  be  at  my  fa- 
ther's a  literary  gentleman  from  Boston,  who 
expressed  afterwards  great  indignation  that 
he  was  compelled  to  sit  at  the  same  dinner 
table  with  a  colored  man  ! 

After  leaving  the  district  school  I  became 
a  pupil  in  a  private  school,  kept  by  the  gov- 
erness of  the  children  of  my  widowed  eldest 
sister  and  those  of  a  few  friends.  There  I 
made  decided  progress  under  her  genial  in- 
fluence. After  this  I  was  transferred,  at 
about  the  age  of  twelve,  to  Hopkins  Acad- 
emy, in  Old  Hadley,  Massachusetts,  a  quaint 


24  RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

old  town,  mostly  built  on  one  street,  a  mile 
long  and  nearly  a  quarter  of  a  mile  wide, 
the  space  between  the  two  sides  covered 
with  grass,  on  which  every  family  had  the 
right  to  pasture  a  flock  of  geese.  In  the 
middle  of  the  street,  equidistant  from  each 
end,  stood  the  white  Congregational  church 
building,  with  its  tall  spire.  In  early  days 
the  men  used  to  carry  their  muskets  to  church 
in  view  of  a  possible  attack  by  the  Indians. 
It  was  in  this  town  that  the  regicide  Whalley 
was  concealed  in  a  house  near  the  church, 
after  the  death  of  Charles  I.  When  on  one 
Sunday  there  was  an  attack  by  the  Indians, 
he  suddenly  appeared  on  the  scene  and  led 
the  defense  and  put  the  foe  to  flight  by  wav- 
ing his  sword,  the  Indians  believing  him  to 
be  a  supernatural  being. 

The  principal  of  the  academy  was  the  Rev. 
Dan  Huntington,  father  of  Bishop  Huntington 
of  Central  New  York.  He  was  a  very  digni- 
fied and  awe-inspiring  man,  and  strict  in  gov- 
ernment, while  his  assistant,  a  middle-aged 
lawyer,  was  exactly  the  opposite,  and  by  far 
the  more  popular  with  the  school.  The  insti- 
tution had  a  high  repute  among  the  few  of 
that  kind  then  in  existence,  with  a  male  and 
female  department. 


MILITARY    ACADEMY  25 

There  I  began  fitting  for  college,  intending 
to  enter  Yale  or  Middlebury,  and  there  I 
acquired  some  knowledge  of  Latin  and  Greek. 
The  building  was  afterwards  burned  and 
never  rebuilt,  as  there  was  another  institution 
of  the  kind  at  Amherst,  seven  miles  distant, 
which  presented  more  attractions  for  pupils. 
I  was  a  student  at  Hopkins  academy  for  two 
years,  and  there  I  was  associated  with  Jere- 
miah Porter,  afterwards  well  known  as  the 
founder  of  the  first  church  in  Chicago,  while 
he  was  chaplain  to  the  United  States  army 
post  at  Fort  Dearborn. 

Leaving  Hopkins  Academy,  I  was  under 
the  tutelage  for  a  year  of  Rev.  Ephraim  H. 
Newton  of  Marlboro,  Vermont,  a  neighboring 
town  to  my  native  place.  He  was  a  scholarly 
man,  and  very  fond  of  mineralogy,  and  was 
afterwards  made  a  D.  D.,  and  became  pastor 
of  the  Presbyterian  church  in  Glenns  Falls, 
New  York.  Here  I  was  associated  with  Alvan 
Tobey,  afterwards  a  distinguished  minister  in 
New  Hampshire.  Mr.  Newton  was  very 
helpful  to  me,  and  took  me  into  his  family. 

In  1819  Capt.  Alden  Partridge  resigned  his 
position  as  superintendent  of  the  U.  S.  Mili- 
tary Academy  at  West  Point,  and  established 
in  his  native  town  of  Norwich,  Vermont, 


.MII.ITAKV    ACAHE.MV  2J 

system,  and  in  after  life  it  was  remarked  of 
me  that  my  erect  form  and  military  step  indi- 
cated that  I  had  seen  service. 

Says  Hon.  Luther  R.  Marsh,  an  eminent 
New  York  lawyer,  once  connected  with  the 
institution  : 

It  was  most  useful  to  its  students,  that  while  it  afforded 
the  advanced  means  of  that  day  for  education,  it  straight- 
ened up  and  gave  elasticity  to  the  cadets,  settled  their 
constitutions,  induced  habits  of  walking  through  country 
roads,  and  established  a  physique  to  endure  the  strain  of 
competition  in  after  life. 

The  same  writer  gives  the  following  sketch 
of  the  life  of  the  founder,  Capt.  Alden  Par- 
tridge : 

He  was  graduated  at  West  Point  in  1806,  and  was 
commissioned  as  first  lieutenant  in  the  corps  of  engineers 
and  assistant  professor  of  mathematics.  In  1810  he 
became  captain,  and  in  1813  professor  of  mathematics 
and  engineering,  and,  for  a  time,  was  superintendent  of 
the  West  Point  institution.  He  afterwards  took  charge 
of  the  survey  for  exploring  our  northwestern  boundary 
under  the  treaty  of  Ghent.  Subsequently,  he  founded  the 
military  school  at  Norwich,  Vermont,  and  became  sur- 
veyor-general of  that  state.  In  1825  he  closed  the  school 
at  Norwich  and  opened  it  at  Middletown.  He  was  after- 
wards a  member  of  the  Vermont  legislature.  In  1840  he 
founded  several  other  military  schools  in  different  states. 

He  was  famous  as  a  pedestrian.  In  one  of  his  excur- 
sions, he  accomplished  seventy  miles  in  a  single  day. 


CHAPTER   II 

THE     OLD     BOOK-STORE    AND    APPRENTICESHIP 
TO    BUSINESS 

At  the  end  of  my  course  at  the  military 
school,  my  father,  who  was  advancing  in 
years,  became  desirous  of  retiring  from  busi- 
ness, and  wished  me  to  be  prepared  to  take 
his  place.  He  accordingly  introduced  me  as 
a  clerk  in  the  establishment  in  which  he  was 
associated  as  a  partner  with  my  brother-in- 
law,  Mr.  Joseph  Fessenden,  under  the  firm 
name  of  Holbrook  &  Fessenden.  They  were 
engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  paper  and 
books  in  my  native  place,  Brattleboro,  and 
were  well  known  not  only  in  all  New  Eng- 
land, but  in  me  country  at  large.  The  busi- 
ness had  been  started  about  the  beginning  of 
this  century,  by  another  brother-in-law  of 
mine  who  had  died,  the  husband  of  my 
oldest  sister,  Mr.  William  Fessenden.  They 
published  a  great  variety  of  miscellaneous 
works,  among  which  I  remember  the  then 
very  popular  "  Scottish  Chiefs,"  "  Rasselas  " 
-9 


30  RECOLLECTIONS    OK    A    NONAGENARIAN 

by  Dr.  Johnson,  "  Hervey's  Meditations," 
then  much  read,  and  many  other  works  then 
standard,  but  now  almost  forgotten.  They 
employed  peddlers,  who  traversed  New  Eng- 
land, selling  books  and  paper,  or  exchanging 
them  for  rags  for  the  paper-mill  and  sheep 
skins  for  the  bindery,  and  dry  goods  for  the 
supply  of  the  men  and  women  in  their 
employ. 

They  also  published  the  famous  spelling- 
book  of  Noah  Webster,  then  almost  exclu- 
sively used  in  this  country,  of  which  they 
issued  100,000  copies  per  annum,  and  many 
millions  in  all,  as,  with  one  or  two  other 
houses,  they  had  the  exclusive  right  of  pub- 
lication. They  were  sent  in  boxes,  for  whole- 
sale trade,  to  New  York  and  the  Southern 
cities.  My  father,  also,  had  purchased  a  set 
of  stereotype  plates  of  the  quarto  Bible,  the 
first  ever  used  in  this  country,  which  had 
been  imported  from  England.  From  these 
the  firm  issued  an  elegant,  illustrated  quarto 
family  Bible,  which  was  sold  by  subscription 
at  $12  a  copy,  and  which  had  a  wide  circu- 
lation. 

Thus  it  will  be  seen  that  a  position  of  no 
small  importance  was  presented  to  me,  and 
one  in  which  I  had  the  opportunity  to  acquire 


AIM'KKXTICKSHIP    TO    HUSINESS  31 

a  valuable  amount  of  knowledge  of  business. 
As  there  was  a  large  circulating  library  in 
the  store,  I  also  became  familiar  with  general 
literature,  which  was  afterwards  of  great 
value  to  me  in  my  professional  life.  I  also, 
at  this  time,  studied  the  French  language,  in 
a  class  taught  by  an  educated  emigre  from 
France,  who  came  to  reside  for  a  time  in  the 
place. 


CHAPTER   III 

POLITICS CONVERSION,     AND      ENTRANCE     ON 

THE    CHRISTIAN    LIFE 

While  serving  as  a  clerk  in  the  book  busi- 
ness, I  was  applied  to  by  the  proprietor  of  the 
village  newspaper,  who  was  not  an  educated 
man,  to  write  his  leading  editorials,  and  in 
performing  this  duty  I  became  interested  in 
politics.  It  was  the  period  of  the  great  ex- 
citement connected  with  the  contest  for  the 
presidency  of  the  United  States  between  Gen- 
eral Jackson  and  John  Quincy  Adams  for  his 
second  term,  and  the  controversies  following 
the  election  of  the  former,  in  regard  to  his 
course  generally,  and  especially  as  to  the 
national  bank.  I  adopted  the  Whig  platform, 
advocated  the  claims  of  Adams,  and  opposed 
the  measures  of  Jackson.  At  this  election  I 
made  my  first  and  only  bet,  that  of  a  hat,  that 
Adams  would  win,  and  of  course  I  lost  it. 

I  attended  conventions,  and  at  one  of  them 
delivered  an  elaborate  speech,  which  was 
printed  and  attracted  some  attention.  In  fact, 


CONVERSION  33 

had  I  gone  on  in  that  direction,  I  have  reason 
to  believe  I  might  have  achieved  some  suc- 
cess as  a  politician,  and  possibly  have  ac- 
quired office.  But  God  had  other  and  better 
designs  in  regard  to  me,  for  which  I  can 
never  be  too  thankful.  There  was  no  politi- 
cal position  that  I  could  possibly  have  ob- 
tained, that,  had  I  my  life  to  live  over  again, 
I  would  prefer  to  that  which  I  have  had  the 
privilege  to  occupv  as  a  minister  of  the  gos- 
pel. 

As  I  have  said,  God  had  something  better 
for  me  than  a  political  career,  and  by  a 
marked  interposition  changed  my  whole  future 
course  in  life.  It  was  an  event  never  to  be 
forgotten,  either  in  this  world  or  the  next. 
There  occurred  one  of  those  precious  seasons 
to  which  so  many  trace  their  entrance  on  a 
Christian  life,  a  revival  of  religion  in  the  Con- 
gregational church.  I  attended  the  meetings, 
and  the  conviction  I  had  before  entertained 
was  deepened,  that  I  ought  to  be  a  Christian. 
I  knew  I  was  the  subject  of  prayer  on  the  part 
of  my  friends,  and  especially  of  my  pious 
mother,  and  I  began  inquiring  what  I  ought 
to  do  to  become  a  Christian.  But  I  was  per- 
plexed, as  no  specific  directions  were  given, 
a.s  there  should  have  been. 


34  RECOLLECTIONS    OP'    A    NONAGENARIAN 

At  length,  on  one  Sabbath  afternoon, — how 
well  I  remember  the  very  time  and  place  ! — I 
sat  in  my  chamber  reading  "  Doddridge's 
Rise  and  Progress  of  Religion  in  the  Soul," 
when  I  came  upon  a  chapter  in  which  he 
recommends  the  making  of  a  specific  conse- 
cration of  one's  self  to  God,  and  gives  a  form 
to  be  written  out  and  adopted.  At  once  it 
flashed  upon  me  that  I  had  never  done  this, 
and  instantly  kneeling  down  by  my  bedside, 
with  the  book  open  before  me,  I  adopted  the 
form  set  forth,  and  prayed  that  God  would 
accept  the  dedication  for  Christ's  sake.  Then 
rising,  I  believed  that  he  did  ratify  the  trans- 
action, and  that  henceforth  I  was  to  be  a 
servant  of  Jesus  Christ  and  no  longer  my 
own,  and  from  that  day  to  this,  for  more  than 
threescore  and  ten  years,  I  have  sought  to 
serve  him.  Then  and  there  my  whole  char- 
acter and  course  of  life  were  changed  ;  I  at 
once  entered  upon  the  discharge  of  Christian 
duties  as  they  came  to  me,  and  ever  since  it 
has  been  my  prayer, — 

Oh,  may  thy  Spirit  guide  my  feet 

In  ways  of  righteousness, 
Make  every  path  of  duty  straight, 

And  plain  before  my  face. 


ENTRANCE    ON    THE    CHRISTIAN    I.IFK  35 

I  soon  applied  for  admission  to  the  church, 
and  in  due  time  was  received  to  membership. 
Later  I  was  elected  superintendent  of  the 
Sunday-school,  and  a  deacon  in  connection 
with  my  father, — a  somewhat  peculiar  case. 


CHAPTER   IV 

ENTRANCE    ON    BUSINESS,    AND    MARRIAGE 

After  I  had  finished  my  apprenticeship  of  a 
few  years  in  business,  my  father  retired,  and 
I  became  his  successor  in  the  firm  of  Holbrook 
&  Fessenden.  I  have  ever  regarded  the  ex- 
perience thus  gained  in  business  as  of  great 
value  to  me  in  my  subsequent  professional 
life  as  a  minister  of  the  gospel.  It  gave  me 
a  knowledge  of  men  and  of  the  world  which 
so  many  lack  who  go  directly  from  the  col- 
lege and  seminary  into  the  ministry.  It  ena- 
bled me  to  understand  the  views  and  feelings 
of  the  laity  in  regard  to  the  functions  of  the 
pastor  ;  and,  as  I  have  before  said,  it  led  me  to 
the  cultivation  of  a  literary  taste  ;  and  it  made 
me  more  of  a  practical  man  in  my  after  pro- 
fession than  I  should  otherwise  have  been, 
and  less  of  a  mere  theorist. 

Soon  after  beginning  my  business  career, 
I  entered  upon  the  family  state  also.  I  be- 
came acquainted  with  Miss  Cynthia  S.  Tuttle 
36 


MIIITIA    SK.RVICK  37 

of  Windsor,  Vermont,  a  niece  and  ward  of 
Hon.  William  Page  of  Rutland,  Vermont,  and 
we  were  married  at  his  house,  January  12, 
1829.  There  were  born  to  us  four  children, 
— three  sons  and  one  daughter.  The  two 
youngest  died  in  early  childhood,  and  were 
buried  in  the  family  lot  in  Prospect  Hill  cem- 
etery, in  Brattleboro.  The  other  two  rest  with 
their  mother  in  the  soil  of  Iowa.  The  eld- 
est, a  son,  lived  to  be  nineteen. 

I  continued  in  business  in  my  native  place 
for  several  years,  and  was  an  active  member 
of  the  church.  I  remember  especially  a  very 
powerful  revival  of  religion,  in  which  I  was 
much  interested,  that  occurred  during  that 
period.  A  celebrated  revivalist  labored  in 
the  church,  and  there  was  a  large  number 
of  conversions,  including  many  of  the  prom- 
inent citizens  of  the  place. 

During  the  period  of  which  I  have  been 
writing,  I  had  an  opportunity  to  put  in  prac- 
tice the  military  knowledge  I  had  acquired 
at  the  military  academy.  I  was  appointed 
aide-de-camp  to  the  brigadier-general  of  mili- 
tia, and  as  I  had  seen  service,  he  depended 
on  me  to  assist  and  advise  in  the  discharge  of 
his  duties.  It  was  the  time  when  general 
"  musters"  were  in  fashion,  when  all  the  able- 


38  RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

bodied  men  of  military  age  were  required  to 
appear  and  answer  to  their  names,  and  to 
be  drilled  and  inspected.  There  were  a  few 
independent  companies  in  uniform,  both  in- 
fantry and  cavalry,  that  made  a  respectable 
show,  but  the  rank  and  file  (called  "the 
floodwood")  generally  appeared  in  their  or- 
dinary dress,  with  all  kinds  of  arms,  and 
sometimes  with  none,  or  displaying  canes 
and  poles  as  a  substitute,  and  they  made  a 
very  grotesque  appearance.  There  was  usu- 
ally a  sham  fight  near  the  close  of  the  day. 
Crowds  of  men  and  women,  and  especially 
of  boys,  were  in  attendance  as  spectators  on 
such  occasions,  while  hucksters  drove  a 
thriving  business  in  gingerbread,  small  beer, 
crackers,  and  lemonade,  and  sometimes,  I 
am  sorry  to  say,  in  stronger  drinks.  There 
was  not,  however,  much  drunkenness,  after 
all,  and  the  day  passed  off  with  great  delight, 
especially  to  the  boys. 


CHAPTER   V 

REMOVAL    TO     BOSTON- — OLD     BOOKSELLERS — 
DR.     LYMAN      BEECHER      AND      HIS     WORK — 

THE    UNITARIAN    CONTROVERSY LITERARY 

MKN TWO    GREAT    WORKS 

After  being  in  business  several  years  in  my 
native  place,  I  disposed  of  my  interest  there 
to  my  partner  and  brother-in-law,  and  re- 
moved to  Boston.  The  senior  partner  in  one 
of  the  oldest  and  most  extensive  bookselling 
and  publishing  houses,  Mr.  Richardson,  of 
the  firm  of  Richardson  &  Lord,  had  died, 
and  I  was  offered  the  opportunity  of  succeed- 
ing him,  as  I  did,  purchasing  his  share  in  the 
business.  It  had  been  begun,  about  the  close 
of  the  last  century,  by  John  West,  and  then 
followed  the  firm  of  West  &  Richardson  ; 
then  Richardson  &  Lord,  and  finally  Rich- 
ardson, Lord  &  Holbrook.  We  had  a  large 
jobbing  trade  with  country  merchants  and 
booksellers,  and  were  importers  of  stationery 
and  publishers  of  books,  and,  of  course,  had 
dealings  with  other  booksellers  in  other  cities. 
We  had  the  almost  exclusive  issue  of  books 
39 


40  RECOLLECTIONS   OF   A    NONAGENARIAN 

of  church  music  then  in  general  use,  includ- 
ing the  works  of  the  well-known  Lowell  Ma- 
son, Mus.  D.,  and  the  Handel  &  Haydn 
Society  of  Boston,  both  of  which  had  a  very 
extensive  sale.  We  also  published  Pierpont's 
series  of  school  readers,  then  in  very  general 
use,  and  the  old  Farmer's  Almanac,  by  Robert 
B.  Thomas,  of  which  we  sold  a  hundred  thou- 
sand a  year.  It  \vas  very  popular,  as  it  fore- 
told the  weather  ! 

My  position  in  Boston  brought  me  in  con- 
tact with  many  authors,  including  Mr.  Samuel 
G.  Goodrich,  the  original  "Peter  Parley," 
who  at  that  time  was  in  the  habit  of  employ- 
ing promising  young  men  as  hack  writers  of 
books  to  which  his  real  or  assumed  name 
was  attached,  and  in  this  way  most  of  the 
very  popular  "  Peter  Parley  "  books  were  pre- 
pared. Among  these  writers  I  remember 
John  and  Epes  Sargent,  afterwards  well 
known,  and  no  less  a  man  than  Nathaniel 
Hawthorne,  who  had  not  then  entered  upon 
his  great  career.  John  Pierpont,  the  poet, 
and  pastor  of  Hollis-street  Unitarian  church, 
some  of  whose  books  we  published,  and  other 
writers  were  often  in  our  place  of  business. 
John  Quincy  Adams  was  one,  a  Fourth  of 
July  oration  of  whose  we  once  published. 


DR.    I.V.MAN    KEECHER    AND    HIS    WORK  41 

Of  course  I  was  familiar  with  all  the  old 
booksellers  of  the  day, — Samuel  T.  Arm- 
strong, Crocker  &  Brevvster,  Hilliard,  Gray 
&  Co.,  Hilliard,  Little  &  Brown,  William  T. 
Ticknor,  and  Carter  &  Hendee, — all  of  whom, 
including  my  partner,  Mr.  Melvin  Lord,  have 
passed  away.  I  knew,  also,  the  old  book- 
sellers of  other  cities.  It  was  the  custom  then 
to  hold  trade  sales  by  catalogue,  in  Philadel- 
phia, the  leading  houses  contributing  their 
publications  and  being  represented,  and  pur- 
chasing those  of  other  houses.  It  was  a 
grand  wholesale  auction  and  exchange,  and 
I  sometimes  attended.  We  usually  closed 
the  occasion  with  a  grand  banquet.  There 
was  generally  a  large  attendance  of  those  in 
the  trade.  The  old  building  we  occupied, 
adjoining  Ticknor's,  near  the  corner  of  Wash- 
ington and  School  streets,  is  still  standing. 

On  removing  to  Boston,  I  united  with  the 
church  of  which  old  Dr.  Lyman  Beecher  was 
the  pastor,  and  I  acted  as  clerk  of  the  church 
for  a  time.  Dr.  Beecher  was  then  in  the 
very  zenith  of  his  power  and  fame  as  a 
preacher,  and  there  were  continual  conver- 
sions. In  one  revival,  I  remember,  he  was 
assisted  by  Dr.  N.  W.  Taylor  of  New  Haven, 
a  man  of  great  power  as  a  preacher.  They 


42  RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

were  bosom  friends,  having  been  intimate 
when  Dr.  Beecher  was  settled  in  Litchfield, 
Connecticut,  and  they  were  in  entire  harmony 
in  their  religious  views,  with  which  I  also 
sympathized.  I  have  always  considered  my 
connection  with  that  church  as  almost  equiv- 
alent to  a  course  in  a  theological  seminary. 
It  was  a  part  of  God's  appointed  preparation 
of  me  for  my  subsequent  professional  career. 

Dr.  Beecher's  call  to  Boston  was  one  of 
the  measures  of  the  friends  of  orthodoxy  for 
counteracting  the  influence  of  Unitarianism, 
of  which  Dr.  Channing  was  then  the  leader, 
and  the  air  was  full  of  the  controversy.  Dr. 
Enoch  Pond,  the  father  of  Rev.  Dr.  W.  C. 
Pond  of  San  Francisco,  was  then  editing  that 
spicy  monthly,  The  Spirit  of  the  Pilgrims, 
and  Dr.  Beecher  aided  him.  I  remember  a 
very  lively  tilt  of  Dr.  Beecher  with  the  editor 
of  the  leading  Unitarian  paper,  in  reference 
to  the  salvation  of  infants,  in  which  the  doctor 
was  at  his  best  in  sarcasm,  and  there  was  no 
little  excitement  in  religious  circles.  The 
doctor  closed  by  recommending  to  his  antag- 
onist to  study  the  commandment  against  bear- 
ing false  witness  against  his  neighbor.  His 
opponent  had  quoted  every  statement  of  ultra 
Calvinists  of  past  ages  and  applied  them  to 


UK.     I.YMAX    BEECHKK    AND    HIS    WORK  43 

Congregationalists  of  the  present  day,  and  as 
they  were  not  accepted  then,  he  was  charged 
with  bearing  false  witness. 

At  this  time  occurred,  also,  the  great  con- 
troversy in  regard  to  the  preaching  of  the 
famous  revivalist,  Charles  G.  Finney.  The 
doctor  had  embraced  some  of  the  erroneous 
statements  against  Mr.  Finney,  but  he  after- 
wards abandoned  them  and  heartily  cooper- 
ated with  him  in  a  series  of  meetings  in 
Boston. 

The  power  of  Dr.  Beecher's  eloquence  was 
very  great  in  the  pulpit.  He  was  in  the  habit 
of  using  a  brief,  instead  of  a  fully-written  ser- 
mon, and  he  would  occasionally  glance  down 
on  his  paper  and  catch  a  point,  and  then, 
throwing  up  his  spectacles  to  the  top  of  his 
head,  pour  out  a  volume  of  eloquence  that 
would  thrill  the  audience  like  a  stroke  of 
electricity.  When  we  saw  the  glasses  go  up, 
we  were  on  the  alert,  for  we  then  expected 
something  that  would  be  well  worth  hearing 
and  remembering. 

President  Sturtevant,  in  his  autobiography, 
says  he  once  administered  the  Lord's  Supper 
in  Dr.  Beecher's  church  in  Cincinnati,  when 
the  doctor  was  unwell,  and  at  the  close  Mr. 
S.  asked  him  to  say  a  few  words,  "  when  Dr. 


44  RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

Beecher  rose,"  says  Mr.  S.,  "  and  poured 
forth  from  his  overflowing  soul,  for  nearly 
half  an  hour,  the  most  magnificent  strain 
of  evangelic  eloquence  I  have  ever  heard.'* 
During  the  evening,  Mr.  S.  asked  the  doc- 
tor how  he  had  acquired  that  perfectly  easy 
and  natural  tone  that  invariably  characterized 
his  delivery.  He  instantly  replied,  "I  didn't 
acquire  it,  for  I  always  had  it."  "Just  so," 
says  Mr.  S.,  ' poeta  nascitur,  nonfitC  ' 

At  this  time,  and  under  these  influences, 
my  former  conviction  that  I  ought  to  preach 
the  gospel  was  renewed  and  deepened,  and  I 
then  seriously  contemplated  giving  up  busi- 
ness and  entering  on  a  course  of  preparation 
for  it.  I  even  went  so  far  as  to  open  a  corre- 
spondence with  Dr.  Porter,  the  president  of 
Andover  Theological  Seminary,  with  a  view 
to  entering  that  institution  as  a  special  stu- 
dent. But  this  did  not  approve  itself  to  some 
of  my  relatives,  and  the  idea  was  abandoned 
for  the  time. 

My  thoughts  at  this  period  were  much  occu- 
pied with  religious  matters.  Then  it  was  that  I 
devised  the  plan  of  the  "  Comprehensive  Com- 
mentary on  the  Bible,"  a  combination  of  the 
Expositions  of  Matthew  Henry  and  Thomas 
Scott  abridged,  with  that  of  Dr.  Doddridge, 


TWO    C.KKAT   WORKS  45 

with  all  of  which  I  was  familiar,  together 
with  notes,  additional,  original,  and  selected. 
Then,  also,  I  conceived  the  plan  of  the  "  En- 
cyclopedia of  Religious  Knowledge,"  on  the 
basis  of  "Buck's  Theological  Dictionary," 
with  large  additions  of  other  matter,  bio- 
graphical and  illustrative  of  the  Scriptures, 
forming  a  large  royal  octavo  volume,  of 
which,  I  have  been  told,  a  hundred  thousand 
copies  have  been  sold. 

At  length  I  determined  to  dispose  of  my 
interest  in  the  Boston  establishment  and  re- 
turn to  my  native  place  and  resume  my  posi- 
tion there,  and  to  publish  these  works  by 
subscription.  Having  engaged  Rev.  William 
Jenks,  D.  D.,  an  eminent  scholar,  as  editor, 
with  an  assistant  for  doing  the  abridging,  and 
Rev.  J.  Newton  Brown  to  edit  the  Encyclo- 
pedia, I  returned  to  Brattleboro  and  put  my 
plan  in  execution. 


CHAPTER   VI 

LAY      PREACHING TEMPERANCE,     AND     O.      S. 

FOWLER     AND     HENRY     WARD     BEECHER A 

RAILROAD     SURVEY FOUNDING    AN    INSANE 

ASYLUM 

Returning  then  to  my  native  place,  I  be- 
came an  active  member  of  the  church,  and 
a  deacon  and  Sunday-school  superintendent. 
But  the  old  and  persistent  idea  that  I  ought 
to  preach  the  gospel  continued  in  full  force 
in  my  mind,  and,  notwithstanding  the  cares 
of  business,  I  devoted  time  to  the  study 
of  theology,  mastering  Dr.  Dwight's  system 
among  other  works,  and  giving  special  atten- 
tion to  the  subject  of  baptism,  on  which  my 
mind  had  become  somewhat  disturbed ;  but 
after  careful  examination  I  became  fully  sat- 
isfied with  our  Congregational  views  of  the 
matter.  For  a  considerable  time  I  was  in 
the  habit  of  practising  lay  preaching,  in  a 
schoolhouse  in  one  of  the  outlying  districts 
of  the  parish,  holding  a  service  in  the  late 
afternoon.  I  also  once  contemplated  apply- 
ing to  the  Ministerial  Association  of  the 
46 


HKNRY    \VARD    BEECH ER  47 

county  for  approbation  as  a  preacher,  and 
Rev.  Dr.  Jenks  wrote  a  very  flattering  rec- 
ommendation in  my  favor,  but  it  was  never 
presented,  and  no  steps  were  taken  in  that 
direction. 

At  this  time,  also,  I  became  much  inter- 
ested in  the  cause  of  temperance,  and  en- 
gaged Mr.  O.  S.  Fowler,  afterwards  cele- 
brated as  a  phrenologist,  then  a  student  in 
Amherst  College,  to  canvass  the  county  and 
distribute  temperance  publications,  making 
my  house  his  headquarters.  While  thus 
employed,  he  wrote  and  delivered  in  the  vil- 
lage his  first  lecture  on  his  favorite  topic, 
"Phrenology."  At  his  recommendation  also, 
I  invited  his  friend  and  classmate,  Henry 
Ward  Beecher,  to  come  and  lecture  on  tem- 
perance in  the  village.  Mr.  Beecher  accord- 
ingly came,  and  spoke  in  the  hall  of  the  High 
School,  and  was  my  guest.  This  was  his 
first  appearance  as  a  public  speaker,  and  he 
always  said  that  I  first  introduced  him  to 
public  life. 

Mr.  Beecher  was  fond  of  referring  to  this 
in  after  life,  and  once,  when  I  was  present  at 
one  of  his  week  evening  meetings  in  Brook- 
lyn, he  related  the  circumstance,  and  indi- 
cated me  as  having  first  brought  him  out 


48  RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGEXAklAN 

as  a  public  speaker.  He  wrote  once 
for  a  periodical  an  amusing  account  of  his 
experience  at  that  time.  He  said  that  for 
want  of  money  he  walked  all  the  way  from 
Amherst  to  Brattleboro,  forty  miles,  and  then 
walked  back  again,  as  I  had  carelessly^ 
neglected  to  pay  him  for  his  services.  But  a 
few  days  after  there  came  a  letter  to  him  from 
me,  enclosing  a  ten  dollar  bank  note,  the  first 
money  he  ever  earned,  and  then  he  was  at  a 
great  loss  how  to  invest  it.  He  was  greatly 
excited  by  the  possession  of  so  much  money, 
and  finally  resolved  to  go  up  to  the  book-store 
and  perhaps  buy  out  the  stock.  He  accord- 
ingly went  there  and  surveyed  the  array  of 
books,  but  concluded  he  could  not  secure  the 
whole,  and  so  he  finally  bought  what  he 
could  with  his  money,  and  with  the  package 
under  his  arm  returned  to  his  room,  the 
proudest  and  richest  man  in  the  town.  He 
never  forgot  this  experience,  and  often 
referred  to  it  in  conversation  with  me  after 
he  had  achieved  fame. 

It  .was  during  my  second  residence  in  my 
native  place  that  the  legislature  of  the  state 
made  an  appropriation  of  $3,000  for  the  sur- 
vey of  a  railroad  route  from  the  south  line  of 
the  state  up  the  west  side  of  the  Connecticut 


FOUNDING    AN    ASYLUM    FOR    THE    INSANE          49 

river,  and  the  governor  appointed  me  as  a 
commissioner  to  superintend  the  expenditure. 
I  engaged  Professor  Twining  of  New  Haven 
for  the  work,  which  he  accomplished  ;  and 
this,  if  I  am  not  mistaken,  was  the  first  rail- 
road survey  in  the  state. 

About  this  time,  also,  a  benevolent  widow 
in  Hinsdale,  New  Hampshire,  adjoining  Brat- 
tleboro,  died  and  left  a  legacy  of  $10,000  for 
founding  an  Asylum  for  the  Insane  in  Brat- 
tleboro,  and  made  me  one  of  four  trustees  for 
executing  the  bequest.  The  other  trustees 
were  Hon.  Samuel  Clark,  E.  Seymour,  and 
my  father.  They  were  all  very  cautious  busi- 
ness men,  of  a  conservative  spirit,  and  ad- 
vanced in  life,  and  they  were  very  decided 
in  the  opinion  that  nothing  could  be  done  with 
so  small  a  sum.  But  I  was  younger,  and 
naturally  of  a  very  hopeful  temperament,  and 
I  insisted  that  there  should  be  a  beginning, 
and  that  application  should  be  made  to  the 
state  for  aid,  and  that  perhaps  other  individ- 
uals would  contribute  additional  funds.  I  find 
the  following  reference  to  the  subject  in  the 
volume,  "Annals  of  the  Insane  Asylum,"  by 
the  superintendent : 

It  was  a  current  remark  by  citizens  and  business  men, 
that  a  failure  would  be  the  probable  result  of  an  under- 
4 


50  RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

taking  so  slenderly  endowed.  There  is  evidence  that  the 
other  three  members  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  doubted 
the  expediency  of  attempting  to  carry  out  the  provisions 
of  the  will.  To  Mr.  John  C.  Holbrook  (the  junior  mem- 
ber) is  undoubtedly  due  the  credit  of  assuming,  at  this 
juncture,  in  earnest,  the  work  necessary  to  inaugurate  the 
enterprise,  which  his  energy  and  sanguine  temperament 
fitted  him  especially  for. 

It  was  finally  decided  to  make  a  beginning. 
I  was  appointed,  secretary  of  the  board,  and 
began  an  extensive  correspondence  with  per- 
sons of  experience  and  those  who  would 
naturally  be  interested  in  the  object.  Among 
these  was  Rev.  Lewis  Uvvight  of  the  Prison 
Discipline  Society,  who  heartily  entered  into 
the  enterprise,  and  afforded  valuable  advice 
and  assistance.  He  introduced  me  to  Dr. 
Julius,  a  German  philanthropist,  then  in  this 
country,  who  had  given  attention  to  the  relief 
of  the  insane. 

It  was  finally  decided  to  apply  to  the  legis- 
lature for  an  act  of  incorporation  and  a  grant 
of  money.  The  act  was  passed,  and  a  small 
appropriation  made,  which  was  ultimately 
increased  to  $10,000.  A  very  fine  site  for 
the  institution  was  purchased,  after  a  careful 
examination  of  the  vicinity  of  the  village, 
which  site  was  subsequently  greatly  enlarged. 
The  services  of  Dr.  W.  H.  Rockwell  were 


FOUNDING    AN    ASYLUM    FOR    THE    INSANE         51 

secured  as  superintendent.  He  had  been 
trained  by  the  celebrated  Dr.  Todd,  of  the 
Insane  Retreat  at  Hartford,  Connecticut,  and 
had  been  an  assistant  there.  In  this  we  were 
very  fortunate,  for  Dr.  Rockwell  proved  a 
most  valuable  and  successful  manager,  and 
to  him  is  certainly  owing  the  great  success 
of  the  institution.  Under  him  the  buildings 
were  erected  and  enlarged  from  time  to  time, 
and  great  additions  were  made  to  the  real  es- 
tate. 

When  this  asylum  was  first  opened,  there 
were  but  nine  such  in  the  United  States. 
Rev.  Mr.  Dwight,  to  whom  I  have  referred, 
wrote  me, — 

So  far  as  my  observation  extends  (and  his  observation 
was  wide),  there  is  not  »a  more  beautiful  spot  of  earth 
than  that  which  you  have  secured  for  the  Vermont  asylum. 
Those  at  Charlestown  and  Worcester,  Mass.,  and  at 
Hartford  and  Bloomingdale  bear  no  comparison  to  it.  It 
is  difficult  to  convey  an  adequate  idea  of  the  beauty  of 
the  grounds  and  surrounding  hills.  English  medical 
superintendents  should  supply  the  defect  of  my  descrip- 
tion by  a  personal  visit. 

For  the  first  two  or  three  years,  in  addition 
to  my  extensive  correspondence,  I  wrote  the 
reports  of  the  institution  for  the  legislature 
and  the  applications  for  aid,  setting  forth  the 


52  RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

necessity  for  providing   for  the  relief  of  the 
unfortunates  deprived  of  reason. 

My  brother,  ex-Governor  Holbrook  of  Ver- 
mont, who  has  been  for  many  years  a  trustee 
of  the  institution,  and  has  had  the  superin- 
tendence of  the  agricultural  and  horticultural 
department,  writes  me,  under  date  July  29, 
1897,  as  follows  : 

The  Vermont  Asylum  for  the  Insane,  now  called  the 
Brattleboro  Retreat,  until  about  two  years  ago  took  in  all 
Vermont  insane  patients,  from  450  to  500  in  number. 
But  to  accommodate  so  many  would  require  considerable 
enlargement,  which  the  trustees  did  not  consider  advis- 
able, and  they  therefore  recommended  to  the  state 
authorities  to  provide  for  a  portion  of  the  state  patients 
elsewhere.  The  legislature,  therefore,  appropriated  five 
hundred  thousand  dollars  for  a  state  institution  at  Water- 
bury,  and  there  most  of  the  patients  supported  by  the 
state  are  cared  for. 

The  Brattleboro  Retreat  now  owns  about 
eight  hundred  acres  of  land  contiguous  to  the 
institution,  being  one  of  the  best  farms  in  the 
valley  of  the  Connecticut.  A  large  vegetable 
garden  supplies  all  the  luxuries  of  the  season 
in  that  line,  and  fifty  cows  furnish  abundance 
of  milk.  A  large  park  of  forty  acres,  with 
numerous  walks,  affords  a  place  for  recrea- 
tion and  exercise  for  the  patients.  And  all 
this,  including  the  state  institution,  is  the 


FOUNDING   AN    ASYLUM    FOR    THE    INSANE          53 

result  of  the  modest  bequest  of  $10,000  by 
Mrs.  Marsh.  I  have  been  thus  full  on  this 
subject,  because  I  count  my  agency  in  the 
matter  as  one  of  the  important  transactions 
of  my  life. 

I  am  thankful,  indeed,  that  my  faith  that 
Mrs.  Marsh's  little  "grain  of  mustard  seed," 
if  planted  and  cared  for,  would  develop  into 
"  a  tree,  in  whose  branches  the  birds  of  the 
air  might  rest,"  was  not  vain.  But  this  is 
only  one  of  a  multitude  of  illustrations  which 
history  affords,  that,  in  the  providence  of 
God,  vast  and  beneficial  results  have  flowed 
from  what  seemed  to  human  eyes  very  insig- 
nificant beginnings.  Let  us  not  "despise  the 
day  of  small  things."  No  benevolent  act, 
however  small,  is  performed  in  vain,  and  we 
may  confidently  expect  the  blessing  of  God 
on  any  enterprise  undertaken  for  His  glory 
and  the  good  of  mankind. 


CHAPTER    VII 

REMOVAL     TO     THE     WEST APPROBATION    TO 

PREACH — HOME  MISSIONARY  WORK DEATH 

OF    WIFE    AND    CHILD TRIP     TO    WISCONSIN 

AND    DUBUQUE,    IOWA 

After  a  time,  it  was  found  that  private  cap- 
ital was  inadequate  to  meet  the  expense  of 
the  editing,  stereotyping,  and  publishing  of 
such  large  works  as  we  had  undertaken,  and 
it  was  decided  to  form  an  association  and 
secure  an  act  of  incorporation  under  the  title 
of  "  The  Brattleboro  Typographical  Com- 
pany." This  was  done,  and  the  business 
was  transferred  accordingly,  I  serving  for  a 
time  as  president.  But  at  length  I  resolved 
to  relinquish  the  book  business  and  remove 
to  the  West,  where  I  had  a  brother-in-law 
engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits,  who  was 
anxious  that  I  should  join  him.  Accordingly, 
with  my  wife  and  two  sons,  I  removed  to 
Davenport,  Iowa,  on  the  Mississippi  river. 

I  found  there  only  a  small  Presbyterian 
church,  with  a  rigid,  old-school  pastor.  At 
first  I  attended  his  church,  and  engaged  in 

54 


APPROBATION    TO    PREACH  55 

the  Sabbath-school,  but  soon  found  the  pastor 
to  be  an  autocrat,  of  a  domineering  spirit, 
who  insisted  on  controlling  everything,  in- 
cluding the  Sabbath-school,  in  the  most  arbi- 
trary manner,  and,  becoming  disgusted,  I, 
with  a  few  others  like-minded  with  myself, 
formed  a  Congregational  church,  in  which  I 
was  elected  a  deacon. 

I  soon  found  I  was  not  adapted  to  agri- 
cultural pursuits,  and  the  old  propensity  to 
preach,  which  had  followed  me  all  my  days, 
returned  with  redoubled  force;  and  I  applied 
to  the  Congregational  Association,  and  re- 
ceived approbation  as  a  minister  of  the  gos- 
pel after  a  careful  examination.  I  was  rec- 
ommended as  a  candidate  for  the  pastorate 
of  the  church  in  Burlington,  then  the  largest 
town  in  the  territory  of  Iowa,  and  an  appoint- 
ment was  made  for  me  to  preach  there  the 
following  Sabbath.  But  before  the  time 
arrived,  I  was  summoned  home  by  sickness 
in  my  family,  and  could  not  fill  the  appoint- 
ment. Had  I  done  so,  I  might  have  settled 
there  instead  of  in  the  place  that  finally 
became  my  field  of  labor.  I  found  on  return- 
ing home  that  my  second  son  was  very  ill, 
and  he  soon  after  died.  Not  long  after  this, 
I  received  a  commission  from  the  Home  Mis- 


5 6  RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

sionary  society  at  New  York,  and  began 
preaching  at  one  or  two  points  in  the  vicinity 
of  my  residence. 

But  I  was  speedily  called  to  endure  another 
severe  affliction  in  the  death  of  my  wife.  Our 
union  had  been  a  comparatively  short  one,  of 
some  twelve  years,  mostly  spent  amid  the 
comforts  and  refinements  of  New  England. 
My  wife  was  of  a  slender  constitution,  ill 
adapted  to  the  new  life  of  the  West,  and, 
moreover,  she  had  inherited  the  seeds  of  con- 
sumption, which  soon  resulted  in  death.  She 
had  been  a  devoted  Christian  from  her  youth, 
and  passed  peacefully  away  in  the  faith  of  the 
gospel,  and  was  buried  beside  our  son  in  the 
cemetery  at  Davenport.  Thus  I  was  left  with 
only  my  eldest  son,  and  my  thoughts  naturally 
turned  to  my  old  home  and  to  the  friends  left 
there,  and  under  the  influence  of  a  strong 
attack  of  nostalgia,  I  resolved  to  return  to 
the  East.  But  such  was  not  the  will  of  God. 
He  had  been  preparing  me  for  a  life-work 
different  from  that  I  anticipated,  and  in  part 
for  this  purpose  broke  up  my  family. 

And  now  occurred,  in  accordance  with  His 
plans,  one  of  the  most  remarkable  providen- 
tial interpositions  in  my  affairs,  of  which  I 
have  so  many  to  record,  and  which  changed 


TRIP    TO    WISCONSIN  57 

my  whole  subsequent  course  of  life.  Just  as 
J  had  come  to  the  determination  to  return  to 
New  England,  my  family  physician,  Dr. 
Joseph  W.  Clark,  afterwards  so  well  known 
in  San  Francisco  as  a  deacon  and  trustee  of 
the  First  Congregational  church  there,  de- 
cided to  seek  a  new  field  for  the  practice  of 
his  profession,  and  for  that  purpose  was  going 
with  his  horse  and  buggy  to  Wisconsin.  He 
invited  me  to  take  a  seat  with  him,  and  as  it 
would  give  me  an  opportunity  to  see  more  of 
the  country,  I  accepted,  but  --cithout  the  least 
idea  of  settling  again  anywhere  in  the  West. 

We  journeyed  up  the  beautiful  Rock  river 
valley  to  Beloit,  and  from  thence  proceeded 
to  Milwaukee,  where  we  spent  the  Sabbath, 
and  I  preached  for  the  Rev.  Dr.  J.  J.  Miter, 
in  the  Congregational  church.  There  we 
met  Rev.  Stephen  Peet,  the  agent  of  the  Amer- 
ican Home  Missionary  Society,  who  was  just 
setting  out  on  a  trip  across  the  state  to  the 
Mississippi  river,  and  he  proposed  that  we 
should  accompany  him.  This  we  did,  he 
with  his  horse  and  buggy,  and  we  with  ours. 
We  had  not  proceeded  far  before  we  were 
overtaken  by  one  of  the  severest  of  snow- 
storms, which  rendered  it  impossible  to  con- 
tinue on  wheels.  We  therefore  purchased  a 


58  RECOLLECTION'S    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

light  two-horse  sled,  and  putting  our  vehicles 
on  it,  and  hitching  our  horses  together,  we 
mounted  on  top  of  the  load,  and  pursued  our 
way  till  we  reached  Platteville,  in  the  south- 
west corner  of  the  state.  Here  the  doctor 
decided  to  settle,  and  parting  from  us,  he 
returned  home.  He  soon  after  removed,  with 
his  father's  family,  to  that  place.  Before 
doing  so,  ho\vever,  he  was  married  to  my 
niece,  Miss  Jane  W.  Fessenden,  who  had 
been  residing  with  me.  Subsequently,  I  also 
married  his  sister. 

And  here  I  am  reminded  of  the  only  joke  I 
ever  knew  the  doctor  to  perpetrate,  as  he  was 
of  a  staid  and  quiet  spirit.  On  settling  in 
Platteville,  he  united  with,  and  became  an 
active  member  of,  the  Congregational  church 
there,  and  became  deeply  interested  in  its 
affairs.  When  later,  Mr.  Peet,  the  Home 
Missionary  agent,  called  on  him  there,  the 
doctor  began  to  upbraid  him  for  not  visiting 
the  place  oftener.  "  Oh,  but,"  said  the  agent, 
"I  wrote  you  often."  "Yes,"  replied  the 
doctor,  "your  letters  truly  were  weighty  and 
powerful,  but  your  bodily  presence  was  weak 
and  contemptible." 


CHAPTER   VIII 

FIRST      VISIT      TO      DUBUQUE CALL      TO      THE 

PASTORATE     THERE THE     PLACE     AND     ITS 

GEOGRAPHICAL  POSITION ITS  SETTLEMENT 

AND    PEOPLE 

As  Mr.  Peet,  the  Home  Missionary  agent, 
was  going  further  to  Potosi,  on  the  Missis- 
sippi river,  he  proposed  that  I  should  accom- 
pany him,  not  with  any  view  on  his  part  or 
mine  that  I  should  remain  in  the  region. 
Having  no  plan  to  hinder,  I  accepted  the  invi- 
tation. On  our  arrival  at  Potosi,  we  were 
requested  to  spend  a  little  time  there  and  hold 
a  series  of  revival  meetings  ;  and  we  did  so. 
Towards  the  end  of  the  week  the  agent 
informed  me  that  he  had  an  appointment  to 
preach  on  the  following  Sunday  at  Dubuque, 
Iowa,  a  few  miles  below,  and  on  the  opposite 
side  of  the  Mississippi,  the  church  there  being 
under  his  care;  and  he  suggested m  that  I 
should  go  there  in  his  stead.  I  assented,  and 
on  Sunday  preached,  and  on  the  next  morn- 
ing before  I  left,  I  received  an  official  "  call  " 
to  the  pastorate  of  the  church,  on  a  salary 
59 


60  RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

of  $600,  of  which  $200  was  to  come  from 
the  Home  Missionary  society  in  New  York. 
This  was  to  me  a  total  surprise,  as  I  had 
thought,  as  I  have  said,  of  nothing  of  the 
kind.  I  replied  that  I  would  take  the  matter 
into  consideration,  and  returned  to  Potosi. 

On  rejoining  the  agent,  I  told  him  I  had 
concluded  to  accept  the  call,  at  which  he  was 
as  much  surprised  as  I  had  been  at  receiving 
it,  as  he  had  had  no  such  design  in  regard  to 
me.  Dubuque  was  then  a  godless  place  and 
far  from  being  attractive  in  itself  to  an  ambi- 
tious man ;  and  when  the  agent,  on  his  return 
to  Milwaukee,  reported  my  decision  to  Rev. 
Dr.  Miter,  the  latter  expressed  his  astonish- 
ment also,  and  added  (for  he  was  something 
of  a  phrenologist),  "Well,  when  he  was  here 
I  noticed  that  he  had  the  bump  of  hope 
largely  developed."  How  marked  the  provi- 
dence that  thus  changed  my  plans  for  my 
future  life,  after  I  had,  as  I  supposed,  defi- 
nitely decided  on  returning  to  New  England  ! 
It  illustrates  the  proverb,  "Man  proposes., 
but  God  disposes,"  or,  as  Shakespeare  has 
it,— 

There's  a  divinity  that  shapes  our  ends, 
Rough-hew  them  as  we  will. 


DUBUQUE,   IOWA  6  I 

At  that  time  Iowa  was  a  territory,  recently 
set  off  from  Wisconsin,  which  had  been  just 
erected  into  a  state.  The  total  population  of 
the  territory  did  not  exceed  fifty  thousand, 
occupying  a  narrow  strip  of  country  on  the 
west  bank  of  the  Mississippi  river,  north  of 
Missouri.  There  was  not  then  a  single 
organized  state  or  territory  west  to  the  Pacific 
Ocean,  nor  north  to  the  British  possessions. 
Texas  had  not  then  been  admitted  to  the 
Union,  nor  had  the  Mexican  war  occurred 
which  resulted  in  the  cession  to  'the  United 
States  of  New  Mexico,  Arizona,  and  all  the 
vast  region  west  of  the  Rocky  mountains, 
including  the  present  great  state  of  California. 
Fremont  had  not  then  accomplished  his 
famous  exploring  expedition  to  find  a  prac- 
ticable route  for  emigrants  to  Oregon.  In 
fact,  the  whole  country  westward  of  Iowa  was 
an  unexplored  region,  including  a  supposed 
immense  desert,  and  there  was  not  a  settled 
minister  of  the  gospel  to  the  north  or  west  of 
me  when  I  went  to  Dubuque. 

Two  or  three  years  after  this,  I  was  invited 
by  the  captain  of  a  steamer  on  the  Mississippi, 
who  was  going  to  carry  supplies  to  the  fron- 
tier United  States  Fort  Snelling,  some  three 
hundred  and  fifty  miles  north  of  Dubuque,  to 


62  RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

take  the  trip  with  him.  As  we  proceeded  up 
the  river,  we  did  not  find  a  single  white  set- 
tlement north  of  Iowa.  At  Redwing,  in  what 
is  now  Minnesota,  we  landed  to  visit  a  foreign 
missionary  station  among  the  Indians,  belong- 
ing to  the  American  Board  of  Foreign  Mis- 
sions in  Boston.  Proceeding  on  our  way,  we 
reached  the  fort,  and  I  preached  on  board  the 
boat  on  Sunday.  The  next  day,  visiting  a 
village  of  Sioux  Indians  near  by,  I  found  it 
in  a  state  of  great  excitement  over  the  body 
of  a  young  brave  who  had  been  killed  by 
their  hereditary  foes,  the  Chippeways  or 
Ojibways.  The  wailing  of  the  mourners 
could  be  heard  for  miles,  and  I  shall  never 
forget  the  weird  sound. 

Some  six  miles  north  of  the  fort  are  the 
Falls  of  St.  Anthony,  and  near  by  is  the  beau- 
tiful cascade,  Minnehaha,  or  Laughing  Wa- 
ters. The  former  we  saw  in  their  primitive 
state,  where  now  are  the  vast  flouring  mills, 
and  other  manufactories  that  are  the  glory  and 
the  foundation  of  the  growth  and  prosperity  of 
the  city  of  Minneapolis  of  one  hundred  and 
fifty  thousand  people.  The  silence  of  death 
then  reigned  where  now  is  heard  the  roar  and 
excitement  of  business.  St.  Paul,  the  twin 
sister  of  Minneapolis,  and  of  equal  size,  about 


DUBUQUE,    IOWA  63 

six  miles  down  the  river  on  the  opposite  bank, 
was  then  only  a  fur-trading  post.  Oft'  to  the 
north  and  west  of  the  Falls  was  a  vast 
expanse  of  unbroken  prairie,  over  which 
roamed  the  Indians,  but  which  is  now  covered 
with  towns  and  cities,  and  traversed  by  rail- 
roads in  every  direction.  I  wondered  when, 
if  ever,  the  region  would  be  occupied  by  civi- 
lized men.  How  wonderful  the  change  a 
few  short  years  have  wrought ! 

Dubuque,  at  this  time,  was  a  town  of  some 
fifteen  hundred  inhabitants,  drawn  there  by 
the  attractions  of  the  lead  mines,  and  much 
resembling  the  early  gold-mining  towns  of 
California.  The  following  extracts  from  an 
historical  sermon  that  I  preached  on  the 
fourth  anniversary  of  my  settlement  there, 
will  show  the  condition  of  my  field  of  pastoral 
labor  a  little  before  I  entered  upon  it : 

In  such  a  population  there  was  none  of  the  religious 
element,  but,  on  the  contrary,  there  was  a  total  destitu- 
tion of  the  fear  of  God,  and,  I  had,  almost  said,  of  regard 
for  man.  There  was,  of  course,  no  recognition  of  the 
Sabbath,  and  no  public  worship,  while  vices  of  almost 
every  kind  were  practised.  A  gentleman  informs  me 
that,  wishing  to  procure  a  Bible,  he  searched  the  place 
in  vain  to  find  one,  and  actually  was  obliged  to  go  to 
Galena  to  procure  one. 

After  a  time,    three  or    four  religious  families   came, 


64  RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

a  prayer-meeting  was  established,  and  a  Methodist  cir- 
cuit preacher  began  holding  services  once  in  four  weeks, 
and  Rev.  A.  Kent  of  Galena  preached  occasionally. 
Some  idea  of  the  state  of  morals  in  these  early  days  may 
be  formed  from  the  following  facts : 

An  editorial  in  the  Visitor,  printed  here,  said:  "A 
minister  is  wanted  here  who  can  reason,  preach,  sing, 
and  enforce  the  fourth  commandment." 

A  correspondent  of  the  New  York  Journal  of  Com- 
merce wrote  from  here  :  "  The  principal  amusement  of  the 
people  seems  to  be  playing  cards,  Sunday  and  all.  The 
law  they  carry  in  their  pockets,  and  are  ready  to  read 
a  chapter  on  the  slightest  occasion." 

The  Roman  Catholics  early  made  this  an 
important  point,  and  erected  a  church  build- 
ing in  1836.  In  1838  a  bishopric  was  estab- 
lished, and  a  bishop  stationed  here.  This 
has  since  developed  into  an  important  arch- 
bishopric. 


CHAPTER   IX 

BEGINNING      OF      PASTORATE      AT      DUBUQUE 

SECOND  MARRIAGE CHURCH  BECOMES  CON- 
GREGATIONAL— JOURNEY  TO  NEW  ENG- 
LAND FOR  AID KEEPING  THE  SABBATH 

Such  was  the  place  and  such  were  the 
people  where  I  began  the  chief  work  of  my 
life,  in  March,  1842,  and  for  which  Divine 
Providence  had  been  mysteriously  preparing 
me  in  my  previous  course.  It  has  always 
seemed  to  me  wonderful  how  all  things  worked 
together  for  that  result. 

In  the  winter  of  1835,  a  Presbyterian  mis- 
sionary had  held  services  in  the  place.  A 
Presbyterian  church  was  formed  which  sub- 
sequently became  Congregational,  but  it  had 
never  had  a  settled  pastor.  I  found  there  a 
little  band  of  nineteen  male  and  female  mem- 
bers, occupying  an  unfinished  stone  building, 
unplastered  within,  and  furnished  only  with 
unpainted  pine  pulpit  and  seats,  while  the 
prayer-meetings  were  held  in  the  basement, 
likewise  unfinished,  and  lighted  only  at  night 
by  the  candles  which  the  members  brought. 
65 


66  RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

It  was    gloomy    and  unattractive   in   the   ex- 
treme. 

I  had  made  considerable  progress  in  theo- 
logical study,  and  was  pretty  familiar,  as  I 
have  said,  with  general  literature.  I  was 
still  young,  thirty-four  years  of  age,  of  san- 
guine spirit,  in  good  health,  and  I  entered 
upon  my  first  pastorate  there  with  immense 
enthusiasm.  My  first  sermon  was  on  the 
text,  "  My  yoke  is  easy,  and  my  burden  is 
light,"  and  it  evidently  made  a  favorable  im- 
pression. I  have  the  manuscript  now,  yel- 
low with  age  and  faded  in  the  ink,  and  it  is 
a  fair  sample  of  the  spirit  of  all  my  subse- 
quent discourses.  The  following  July  after 
my  call,  I  attended  the  annual  meeting  of 
the  Iowa  Congregational  Association  at 
Davenport,  and  was  duly  ordained,  Father 
Asa  Turner  preaching  the  sermon.  In  the 
following  spring,  the  Mineral  Point  Congre- 
gational and  Presbyterian  Convention  of 
Wisconsin,  with  which  my  church  was  then 
connected,  met  in  Dubuque,  and  I  was  in- 
stalled as  pastor,  Rev.  S.  Peet  preaching  the 
sermon. 

As  I  have  before  said,  my  wife  and  second 
son  had  died  some  time  before,  and  I  was 
left  with  only  my  eldest  son,  a  lad  of  some 


;Ktf*ifi 

-  -^-sB^^^^^^^j^p^aL..^- 


THE  OLD  STONE  CHURCH. 


SECOND    MARRIAGE  67 

twelve  years.  Feeling  the  need  of  a  helper 
in  my  new  field,  on  the  i8th  of  October,  1842, 
I  was  married  to  Miss  Ann  L.  Clark  of  Platte- 
ville,  Wisconsin,  sister  of  the  doctor  who  had 
been  my  family  physician,  and  with  whom  I 
took  the  journey  which  resulted  finally  in  my 
settlement  in  Dubuque.  I  agree  with  Pres- 
ident Sturtevant  who,  referring  to  his  second 
marriage  in  his  interesting  autobiography, 
says, — 

I  did  not  then,  nor  do  I  less  now,  subscribe  to  the 
doctrine,  that  a  man  painfully  bereaved  by  the  loss  of  his 
wife  at  the  age  of  thirty-four,  best  honors  the  memory  of 
the  departed  by  remaining  unmarried.  The  sweet 
remembrance  of  conjugal  happiness  is  not  a  preparation 
for  a  life  of  loneliness. 

I  think  I  was  most  providentially  directed 
in  the  choice  of  my  new  companion,  as  fifty- 
two  years  of  experience  in  our  after  united  life 
have  abundantly  proved.  My  wife  was  the 
daughter  of  a  noble  Christian  mother,  whose 
training  of  her  children  was  remarkable,  all 
of  whom  have  demonstrated  her  wisdom  and 
her  holy  influence.  My  wife  proved  to  be  a 
helpmeet  indeed  to  me  in  all  my  subsequent 
career,  sharing  with  me  most  bravely  and 
cheerfully  the  toils  and  self-denial  of  my 
early  ministry,  and  ever  proving  a  safe  coun- 


68  RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

selor  and  cooperator  with  me  in  all  my  labors. 
But  I  will  not  dwell  on  this  point,  as  I  shall 
have  occasion  to  say  more  when  I  record  her 
lamented  death,  long  years  afterwards. 

Having  thus  become  settled  in  my  new 
field  of  labor,  I  entered  upon  my  work,  I 
repeat,  with  immense  enthusiasm.  I  soon 
accumulated  a  considerable  library,  and  be- 
gan in  earnest  the  study  of  my  Greek  Testa- 
ment and  works  on  theology  and  homiletics. 
I  had  pretty  well  mastered  Dwight's  theol- 
ogy, and  had  also  Knapp's  excellent  treatise, 
with  those  of  Edwards,  Emmons,  Hopkins, 
and  other  New  England  writers,  and  I  kept 
myself  familiar  with  the  current  theological 
literature  of  the  day.  I  rigidly  set  apart  my 
forenoons  for  study,  and  never  thus  employed 
my  evenings  when  I  could  ^avoid  it,  or  denied 
myself  needed  sleep. 

I  resolved  from  the  first  never  to  enter  my 
pulpit  without  a  thorough  preparation,  when 
I  could  possibly  avoid  it.  I  would  not  in- 
dulge myself  in  the  use  of  mere  religious 
harangues  or  hortatory  appeals,  nor  impose 
them  upon  my  congregation.  I  carefully 
wrote  out  my  sermons,  and  sought  to  make 
them  practical  and  instructive,  and  always 
thoroughly  logical.  And  in  this  last  respect 


PASTORATE   AT   DUBUQUE  69 

I  was  greatly  indebted  to  old  Dr.  Nathaniel 
Emmons,  of  whom  it  was  said,  that,  grant 
him  his  premises  and  you  could  not  possibly 
escape  his  conclusions.  I  did  not,  however, 
adopt  all  his  peculiar  points  in  theology. 

I  was  early  impressed  with  a  sense  of 
my  responsibility  in  the  position  in  which 
I  had  been  so  unexpectedly  placed  by  Di- 
vine Providence.  I  used  often,  in  leisure 
hours,  to  climb  the  high  bluff  back  of  the 
town,  and,  looking  down  on  the  mighty 
Mississippi  flowing  past  with  its  lines  of 
great  steamers  and  upon  the  young  city  at 
my  feet,  and  thinking  of  the  thousands  that 
would  ere  long  walk  its  streets  and  of  the 
vast  region  around  as  yet  unsettled,  but 
soon  to  teem  with  inhabitants  that  might 
be  affected  by  my  labors  and  feel  the 
influence  of  an  active  and  enterprising 
church  that,  by  the  blessing  of  God,  I 
might  be  instrumental  in  building  up,  I  was 
stimulated  anew  to  consecrate  my  best  abil- 
lities  to  the  work  set  before  me.  I  saw 
myself  placed  where  I  was  called  to  do  my 
utmost  in  shaping  the  character  of  a  future 
large  city,  and  to  aid  others  in  molding 
that  of  a  mighty  state,  and  I  was  almost 
overwhelmed  with  the  thought. 


70  RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

The  church,  as  I  have  said,  was  origi- 
nally formed  on  the  Presbyterian  model, 
and  its  modest  and  unfinished  house  of 
worship  was  heavily  mortgaged.  It  was 
impossible  for  the  members  to  redeem  it,  so 
that  it  was  about  to  be  sold,  and  I  could 
see  no  relief,  but  by  an  appeal  for  help  to 
friends  in  New  England.  But  those  on 
whom  I  thought  I  could  depend  for  help 
were  Congregationalists,  and  would  not  feel, 
I  thought,  any  special  interest  in  the  case. 
But  just  then  an  event  occurred  which 
solved  the  difficulty.  There  was  but  one 
ruling  elder,  and  he  had  become  very  un- 
popular by  reason  of  his  dictatorial  spirit. 
He  sought  to  be  emphatically  a  riding 
elder,  and  he  it  was  who  had  involved  the 
church  in  debt.  There  was  then  a  young 
man  in  the  church  who  afterwards  entered 
the  ministry,  and  went  as  a  home  mission- 
ary to  California,  and  later  became  the 
very  efficient  superintendent  of  the  missions 
of  the  American  Home  Missionary  Society 
in  that  state.  Seeing  no  way  of  reliev- 
ing the  church  from  its  embarrassment 
under  the  ruling  elder,  who  could  not  be 
deposed,  and  who  refused  to  resign,  the 
young  man  referred  to  made  a  motion  at  a 


JOURNEY    TO    NEW    ENGLAND    FOR    AID  71 

business  meeting  that  all  the  members  of 
the  church  should  be  elected  ruling  elders  ! 
This  was  carried,  and  presto,  the  body  was 
transformed  into  a  Congregational  church. 
It  soon  after  became  such  formally  and  in 
fact. 

The  way  was  now  open  for  an  appeal  for 
pecuniary  aid  to  Congregational  friends  in 
New  England,  and  I  was  commissioned  to 
visit  that  region,  and  to  endeavor  to  secure 
the  help  needed  to  liquidate  the  mort- 
gage on  the  church  building.  I  undertook 
the  task,  and  was  kindly  and  cordially 
received  in  various  places  which  I  visited, 
and  I  returned  home  with  six  hundred 
dollars.  Among  the  places  visited  was 
Bath,  Maine,  where  I  met  Mr.  George  F. 
Magoun,  who  had  just  finished  his  collegi- 
ate course  at  Bowdoin,  and  his  theological 
studies  at  Andover  and  Yale.  He  was 
very  desirous  of  visiting  the  West,  and 
solicited  the  privilege  of  accompanying  me 
on  my  return  home.  He  did  so,  and  for  a 
short  time  was  my  guest  at  Dubuque,  and 
soon  after  became  the  principal  of  the  acad- 
emy at  Platteville,  Wisconsin.  Subsequently, 
he  was  ordained  as  a  minister,  and  at 
length  became  for  several  years  the  very 


72  RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

efficient  and  successful  president  of  Iowa 
college.  I  little  thought  at  the  time,  that  I 
was  introducing  to  his  life-work  in  my 
state  the  afterwards  distinguished  head  of 
its  leading  college. 

Our  journey  was  by  way  of  the  Ohio 
river,  stopping  a  short  time  at  Cincinnati. 
There  we  took  a  steamer  for  St.  Louis,  the 
captain  of  which  assured  us  that  we  should 
reach  our  destination  before  Sunday.  But 
on  Saturday  it  became  apparent  that  we 
should  not  do  so,  and  we  told  the  captain  to 
land  us  at  some  town  that  night,  as  we  had- 
scruples  about  traveling  on  Sunday.  But 
he  seriously  objected,  and  offered  to  allow 
us  to  hold  public  worship  on  the  boat. 
We  persisted,  however,  and  were  finally 
landed  at  a  little  town  on  the  Kentucky 
side  of  the  river,  where  we  spent  Sunday, 
and  attended  worship  in  a  Presbyterian 
church.  On  Monday  morning,  very  early, 
another  boat  bound  for  St.  Louis  appeared, 
which  we  boarded,  and  on  arriving  at  our 
port,  we  found  the  passengers  we  had  left 
on  Saturday  evening  had  but  just  arrived 
there.  So  we  kept  the  Sabbath  and  lost 
no  time. 


CHAPTER   X 

BUILDING    A    NEW    HOUSE    OF    WORSHIP COM- 
ING    OF     THE      IOWA      BAND FOUNDING      OF 

IOWA     COLLEGE SOME     WISCONSIN     NEIGH- 
BORS 

On  my  return  from  New  England,  the 
church  made  an  effort  with  the  party  in 
St.  Louis  that  held  the  claim,  to  compro- 
mise the  debt  on  the  house  of  worship,  with 
the  aid  of  the  money  I  had  collected,  but 
without  success,  and  we  were  obliged  to 
abandon  the  building,  and  to  endeavor  to 
erect  another.  We  found  the  citizens  ready 
to  cooperate  with  us,  and  we  at  once  set 
about  the  work,  holding  services  in  the 
meantime  in  the  court-house,  and  in  the 
Baptist  church,  whose  pulpit  was  vacant.  I 
visited  Galena  and  secured  from  the  owner 
the  offer  of  two  very  eligible  lots  on  Main 
street,  one,  the  corner,  for  $350,  and  the 
adjoining  one  for  $300.  I  was  in  favor  of 
taking  both,  but  the  trustees  of  our  newly 
incorporated  Congregational  society  did  not 
share  my  faith  in  the  future  of  the  city,  or 
73 


74  RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

feel  that  we  were  warranted  in  investing  so 
large  a  sum  in  a  site,  and  they  decided  to 
take  the  inner  and  cheaper  lot.  Some 
years  afterward,  when  we  erected  the  pres- 
ent large  and  beautiful  structure,  that  origi- 
nal lot  and  building  were  sold  for  $20,000. 
Had  we  taken  the  two  lots,  as  I  desired, 
we  should  have  been  "pound  wise"  instead 
of  "  penny  foolish." 

A  subscription  was  raised,  by  which, 
with  the  money  I  had  collected  in  New 
England,  we  soon  completed  a  neat  and 
convenient  building,  which  we  occupied  for 
several  years,  and  which  became  the  scene 
of  several  very  precious  revival  seasons,  to 
which  I  shall  refer  later.  Fortunately,  there 
had  come  into  the  church  an  experienced 
carpenter  and  builder,  who  drew  the  plan 
and  superintended  the  erection  of  a  building 
with  a  Grecian  Ionic  front,  which  was  much 
admired  at  that  early  period  in  the  history 
of  the  city. 

In  1843,  the  year  after  my  settlement, 
there  came  a  notable  addition  to  the  ranks 
of  the  Congregational  ministry.  There  were 
then  but  seven  ordained  ministers  of  the 
order  in  the  territory)  whom  Dr.  Roy,  in 
Dunning's  "  History  of  Congregationalism," 


THE  SECOND  HOUSE. 


COMING    OF   THE    IOWA    BAND  75 

calls  "  the  sacred  seven."  They  were 
Father  Asa  Turner,  Julius  A.  Reed,  Reuben 
Gaylord,  Charles  Burnham,  Oliver  Emer- 
son, and  myself,  with  Allen  B.  Hitchcock, 
who  had  recently  come  to  Davenport  from 
Yale  seminary.  This  new  addition  to  our 
strength  consisted  of  the  famous  Iowa  Band 
commissioned  by  the  American  Home  Mis- 
sionary society,  and  was  composed  of  eleven 
young  men  from  Andover  Theological  sem- 
inary. Part  of  them  had  been  ordained, 
and  the  others  were  thus  set  apart  for  their 
work  at  Denmark,  where  Father  Turner 
had  established  the  first  Congregational 
church  in  the  territory. 

One  of  their  number  was  a  humorist  and 
fond  of  jokes,  and  while  crossing  the  Missis- 
sippi, a  high  wind  had  nearly  capsized 
their  boat.  On  landing,  he  exclaimed, 
"  Brethren,  what  a  sensation  would  have 
been  experienced  at  the  East  if  we  had  all 
gone  to  the  bottom  ' "  Again,  at  the  ordina- 
tion, the  duty  of  giving  the  usual  charge 
was  assigned  to  a  young  man  of  the  coun- 
cil who  was  the  least  qualified  for  the  ser- 
vice and  who  was  not  particularly  impres- 
sive. Alluding  to  this  after  the  adjournment, 
the  facetious  brother  exclaimed  to  his  associ- 


•j6  RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

ates,  "  What  an  idea,  to  set  a  man  to  charge 
us  who  was  not  half  charged  himself!  " 

To  these  new-comers  were  assigned  stations 
in  various  parts  of  the  territory  from  the  Mis- 
souri line  to  the  county  north  of  Dubuque. 
They  soon  established  churches,  local  associa- 
tions were  formed,  and  they  entered  enthusi- 
astically into  the  work  of  evangelizing  the 
territory.  In  this  their  services  proved  highly 
important  and  valuable,  and  to  them  is  due 
much  of  the  credit  of  making  Iowa  what  it 
has  become,  one  of  the  noblest  states  of  the 
Middle  West.  It  has  indeed  been  called  "  the 
Massachusetts  of  the  West."  Its  immigrants 
have  been  more  largely  of  the  better  class 
than  those  of  any  of  its  sister  states,  and  it 
has  the  lowest  degree  of  illiteracy  of  any  of 
them. 

It  had  always  been  the  purpose  of  the 
pioneer  Congregational  ministers  to  found  a 
Christian  college  at  an  early  date,  and  some 
steps  had  been  taken  in  that  direction.  This 
new  band  entered  fully  into  the  design,  and 
it  was  ultimately  carried  into  execution  ;  and 
from  a  first  graduation  class  of  two,  it  has 
since  sent  out  hundreds,  and  has  taken  rank 
among  the  best  institutions  of  the  kind  in  the 
West.  It  is  an  interesting  fact,  worthy  of 


SOME   WISCONSIN    NEIGHBORS  77 

record  here,  that  among  the  very  first  contri- 
butions towards  its  endowment  was  a  pledge 
of  $10  each  from  the  wives  of  the  ministers 
and  home  missionaries,  made  at  a  meeting  of 
the  General  Association  at  Dubuque  ! 

Several  of  the  members  of  the  band  were 
stationed  near  Dubuque,  and  it  was  my  privi- 
lege often  to  entertain  them  at  my  house,  and  to 
assist  them  in  their  work.  My  house  was 
always  open  to  their  visits,  and  I  visited  them, 
and  aided  them  in  revival  meetings.  My 
church,  being  the  oldest  and  largest  in  the 
northern  section  of  the  territory,  became,  of 
course,  a  centre  of  influence.  I  was  one  of 
the  original  members  of  the  Dubuque  Asso- 
ciation. I  found  in  these  young  men  very 
congenial  fellow-laborers,  where  I  had  stood 
alone,  with  no  ministerial  neighbor  north  or 
west  of  me,  the  nearest  Congregational  min- 
ister in  Iowa  being  an  itinerant  at  some  dis- 
tance south. 

I  was,  however,  highly  favored  in  being 
early  associated  with  a  choice  band  of  min- 
isters of  a  congenial  spirit  with  my  own,  on 
the  opposite  side  of  the  Mississippi,  in  the 
southwest  corner  of  Wisconsin.  For  a  time, 
indeed,  I  was  called  to  labor  much  in  that 
section,  holding  revival  meetings,  my  church 


78  RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

generously  allowing  me  to  do  so.  I  think 
there  never  was  a  more  devoted  body  of 
ministers  than  were  these.  They  were  Rev. 
J.  D.  Stevens,  who  had  been  a  missionary  of 
the  American  Board  among  the  Sioux  Indians  ; 
Rev.  John  Lewis,  of  sainted  memory,  whose 
wife  was  a  daughter  of  the  well-known  Har- 
lan  Page,  the  devoted  layman  of  New  York ; 
Zachary  Eddy,  afterwards  an  eloquent  pastor 
in  Brooklyn,  New  York,  Detroit,  Michigan, 
and  Atlanta,  Georgia;  D.  B.  Bradford,  C. 
Warner,  and  George  F.  Magoun,  afterwards 
the  distinguished  president  of  Iowa  College  ; 
and  S.  W.  Eaton,  father  of  the  president  of 
Beloit  College.  All  these  have  passed  on  to 
their  reward  except  the  last-named,  who,  with 
his  wife,  has  lately  celebrated  their  golden 
wedding  at  Roscoe,  Illinois. 


CHAPTER    XI 

EARLY    LABORS     IN     DUBUQUE A    HISTORICAL 

DISCOURSE — PROGRESS       OF       CHURCH       AND 
CITY 

The  first  four  years  of  my  new  pastorate  were 
years  of  severe  labor  and  no  little  self-denial. 
The  church  was  small  and  poor,  and  my  sal- 
ary, which,  as  I  have  said,  was  fixed  at  $600, 
was  not  always  paid  in  full,  though  eked  out 
for  a  little  time  by  an  appropriation  from  the 
missionary  society  in  New  York.  But  with 
the  help  of  my  devoted  wife,  and  the  strictest 
economy,  we  managed  to  live  and  keep  out 
of  debt.  My  labors  were  blessed,  there  was 
a  constantly  growing  congregation,  and  I 
found  my  influence  in  the  community  increas- 
ing. We  completed  our  new  house  of  worship 
without  a  debt,  and  at  the  dedication  I 
preached  a  historical  sermon,  which  was 
printed  by  request  of  some  leading  citizens, 
including  several  who  did  not  belong  to  my 
congregation,  and  from  which  I  give  some 
extracts.  It  was  delivered  in  April,  1846, 
four  years  after  my  settlement. 
79 


8o  RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

The  text  was,  Acts  28:15,  "He  thanked 
God,  and  took  courage." 

A  great  change  has  taken  place  in  the  general  aspect  of 
what  has  now  become  a  city,  and  Episcopal  and  Baptist 
churches  have  been  added  to  our  own,  and  the  Methodist 
and  Roman  Catholic.  Valuable  additions  have  been 
made  to  our  population,  and  a  United  States  land  office, 
and  surveyor  general's  office  have  been  established  here, 
which  have  given  additional  importance  to  the  place. 

When  I  began  my  labors,  the  church  was  in  a  state  of 
great  depression,  encumbered  by  a  heavy  debt,  and  with 
no  prospect  of  its  liquidation.  There  were  but  nineteen 
resident  members,  and  not  more  than  five  or  six  were 
present  at  the  prayer-meeting.  But  soon  a  good  congre- 
gation began  attending  public  worship,  and  from  time 
to  time  there  were  conversions  and  additions  to  the 
church  membership.  In  the  course  of  the  first  winter, 
i842-''43,  I  was  called  to  assist  pastors  in  revivals  in 
the  neighboring  state  of  Wisconsin,  and  towards  spring 
there  were  encouraging  signs  of  increasing  religious  inter- 
est in  our  church,  but  the  members  had  had  no  experience 
in  revivals. 

I  therefore  prepared  and  delivered  a  series  of  discourses 
on  the  subject,  setting  forth  encouragements  and  duties, 
and  it  was  not  long  before  the  way  opened  for  a  series  of 
daily  meetings,  which  continued  about  ten  days,  and  there 
was  a  general  work  of  grace,  whose  effects  were  very  sal- 
utary, and  there  was  a  considerable  addition  to  the 
church,  as  there  has  been  every  year  since,  until  now. 
At  the  end  of  four  years,  there  is  a  membership  of  fifty- 
three,  only  eleven  of  whom  were  members  when  I  came. 
1 1  was  a  dark  and  gloomy  day  when  we  abandoned  our 


A    HISTORICAL    DISCOURSE  8 1 

house  of  worship  at  the  beginning  of  this  period,  and  the 
world  regarded  our  case  as  hopeless ;  but  God  rewarded 
our  faith,  and  behold  what  he  hath  wrought !  Struggling 
as  we  did  for  our  very  existence,  we  yet  have  contributed 
for  the  general  cause  of  home  and  foreign  missions,  and 
we  have  mingled  our  prayer,  "  Thy  kingdom  come,"  with 
that  of  Christians  the  world  over.  We  have  never  known 
dissension  among  us,  but  have  been  of  one  heart  and  mind, 
and  we  now  enter  upon  a  new  era  with  more  to  encourage 
us  than  at  any  previous  period  of  our  history. 

In  concluding  this  discourse,  I  said  : 

What  a  moral  change  has  been  wrought  in  this  place, 
already,  by  the  gospel !  It  is  still  fresh  in  the  memory  of 
many,  when  there  was  scarcely  more  of  a  Sabbath  here 
than  when  the  smoke  of  the  Indian  wigwam  rose  from 
the  valley,  and  the  savage  yell  of  the  native  broke  the 
stillness  of  the  air.  But  now  the  quietude  that  reigns  on  the 
Lord's  day  bespeaks  another  influence  in  the  community, 
and  our  town  would  not  unfavorably  compare  with  the 
majority  of  others  of  equal  population  in  most  parts  of  the 
land.  One  gentleman  informs  me  that  he  remembers" 
when,  a  few  years  ago,  he  saw  on  a  single  Sunday  in  our 
streets  horse-racing,  foot-racing,  card-playing,  drinking  of 
intoxicating  liquors,  fighting,  wrestling,  and  the  transac- 
tion of  business,  while  few  were  bending  their  steps  to 
hear  the  word  of  God.  But  now  how  different,  when 
several  places  of  worship  are  open  and  filled  with  atten- 
tive hearers  !  What  would  this  place  have  been  without  a 
ministry  and  church  ?  How  much  we  have,  then,  to  en- 
courage us  to  labor  on  in  the  work  of  evangelization  here  ! 
I  pledge  myself  and  you  of  this  church,  to  hearty  coopera- 
6 


82  RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

tion  with  Christians  of  all  denominations,  in  this 
glorious  and  blessed  work.  Our  responsibilities  are  great, 
for  we  are  laying  foundations  for  many  generations ; 
thousands  here,  and  tens  of  thousands  in  the  surrounding 
country,  are  to  be  affected  by  our  acts — nay,  to  a  great 
extent,  the  whole  future  population  of  this  great  state  of 
Iowa  will  feel  our  influence.  Think  of  the  thousands  that 
will  people  these  streets,  and  swarm  over  these  prairies, 
and  you  cannot  fail  to  be  impressed  with  the  importance  of 
our  work.  Let  Christians  of  all  denominations  lay  aside 
all  petty  jealousies,  and  all  rivalry  except  in  doing  good, 
and  let  them  unite  in  energetic  and  harmonious  action  and 
fervent  prayer  for  the  triumph  of  the  gospel  here,  and  we 
shall  see  still  greater  evidence  than  we  have  witnessed,  of 
its  power  to  promote  peace,  harmony,  morality,  and 
happiness. 

It  is  with  sincere  gratitude  that  I  here  record 
the  goodness  of  God  in  favoring  the  church, 
as  I  have  said,  with  numerous  revivals  of 
religion.  We  saw  some  dark  days,  and 
struggled  through  many  difficulties  and  obsta- 
cles, but  we  never  despaired,  and  we  were 
rewarded  for  our  faith.  The  year  following 
the  delivery  of  the  historical  discourse  from 
which  I  have  quoted,  occurred  the  fourth 
season  of  refreshing  from  on  high.  It  was 
remarkable  in  some  respects,  and  wrought 
such  a  change  in  the  strength  of  the  church  and 
in  the  moral  aspect  of  the  community  as  can 
hardly  now  be  realized.  It  more  than  trebled 


PROGRESS   OF    CHURCH    AND    CITY  83 

the  membership  of  the  church,  and  quadrupled 
its  efficiency.  It  continued  six  weeks,  and  in 
the  absence  of  ministerial  help  I  was  com- 
pelled to  preach  every  evening,  preparing 
new  sermons  and  attending  prayer  and  inquiry 
meetings  in  addition,  "  the  Lord  adding  to  us 
daily  such  as  should  be  saved." 

One  remarkable  feature  of  this  work  was 
that  it  included  in  its  .subjects  a  large  number 
of  leading  members  of  society  here.  Among 
these  was  the  United  States  district  judge  and 
his  wife,  several  prominent  lawyers,  physi- 
cians, merchants,  and  others.  Our  house  of 
worship  became  too  small  and  its  dimensions 
were  soon  doubled,  and  a  large  and  conve- 
nient addition  was  made  in  the  rear  for  prayer- 
meetings  and  the  Sabbath-school.  This  work 
was  a  severe  tax  upon  the  physical,  mental, 
and  spiritual  energies  of  the  pastor,  but  God 
fulfilled  his  promise,  "As  thy  days,  so  shall 
thy  strength  be."  I  found  that  then  I  was 
enabled  to  preach  the  best  sermons  of  my  life, 
and  sermons  which  have  proved  effective  in 
many  such  seasons  since. 

During  the  period  of  my  first  pastorate  of 
eleven  years,  the  territory  of  Iowa,  with  a 
population  of  only  50,000,  had  been  erected 
into  a  state,  bounded  on  the  east  by  the  Mis- 


84  RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

sissippi  river,  on  the  west  by  the  mighty 
Missouri,  and  extending  from  the  north  line 
of  the  state  of  Missouri  to  the  south  line  of 
the  new  territory  of  Minnesota,  and  had  large 
accessions  to  its  inhabitants  of  an  exception- 
ally valuable  character.  The  place,  which  on 
my  arrival  was  only  a  mining  village  of  fifteen 
hundred  people,  with  but  one  or  two  brick 
buildings,  had  developed  into  a  considerable 
city,  with  fine  residences,  and  large  blocks  for 
business  purposes,  and  was  showing  signs  of 
becoming,  as  it  has  since  become,  an  important 
centre  of  business  for  a  large  region  west  and 
north,  while  the  church  grew  from  nineteen 
members  to  be  the  second  in  numbers  in  the 
state. 

For  some  years  in  my  early  ministry  at 
Dubuque  I  maintained  an  extensive  correspon- 
dence with  our  Eastern  religious  newspapers, 
the  New  York  Observer,  the  Boston 
Recorder,  and  afterwards  the  Boston  Congre- 
gationalist.  I  was  the  regular  Western 
correspondent  of  the  New  York  Independent 
in  its  early  years,  when  it  was  edited  by  Rev. 
Drs.  J.  P.  Thompson,  R.  S.  Storrs,  and 
Leonard  Bacon,  with  Joshua  Leavitt  as  office 
editor.  I  early  advocated  the  plan  of  aiding 
new  churches  in  erecting  houses  of  worship, 


PROGRESS    OF    CHURCH    AND    CITY  85 

then  quite  an  unpopular  idea,  and  I  specially 
contended  for  the  right  of  planting  Congrega- 
tional churches  in  the  West,  which  was 
opposed  violently  by  leading  Presbyterians. 
A  little  before  this,  there  were  the  beginnings 
of  what  proved  to  be  a  mighty  contest  for  this 
right  in  Illinois  and  in  Iowa,  which  finally 
culminated  in  the  Albany  convention,  to  be 
described  further  on,  which  repudiated  the 
famous  plan  of  union  between  Congrega- 
tionalists  and  Presbyterians,  so  disastrous  to 
the  interests  of  the  former.  Rev.  Dr.  Pond, 
now  of  San  Francisco,  was  then  a  theological 
student  at  Bangor,  Maine,  and  he  has  since 
told  me  that  my  writings  on  this  subject  deeply 
moved  his  spirit  and  inspired  him  with  a 
strong  desire  to  buckle  on  his  armor  and 
plunge  into  the  fray. 


CHAPTER  XII 

IMPORTANCE     OF      REVIVALS     OF      RELIGION 

REVIVAL      LABORS      IN     VARIOUS      PLACES 

CANDIDATES  FOR  THE  MINISTRY ELECT- 
ED A  CORPORATE  MEMBER  OF  THE  AMERI- 
CAN BOARD BELOIT  EDUCATIONAL  CON- 
VENTION 

I  was  converted  in  a  revival  of  religion, 
and  I  have  ever  since  been  a  firm  believer 
in  the  value  and  importance  of  such  seasons. 
I  had  labored  and  prayed  from  the  beginning 
of  my  pastorate  for  such  blessings,  and  I  was 
not  disappointed.  I  early  adopted  the  prac- 
tice of  old  Dr.  Beecher,  who  said,  "When 
circumstances  favored,  I  engaged  in  efforts 
for  a  revival,  and  I  was  never  disappointed 
in  the  result."  I  believe  that  those  pastors 
who  expect  and  plan  and  labor  and  pray  for 
such  refreshings  are  favored  with  them, 
while  those  who  do  not  do  so  rarely  enjoy 
them.  I  think  the  great  majority  of  those  who 
united  with  my  church  during  my  entire  min- 
istry were  converted  in  such  seasons,  and  my 
testimony  is,  that  they  were  generally  among 
the  most  spiritual  and  steadfast  of  the  mem- 
86 


IMPORTANCE   OF    REVIVALS   OF    RELIGION  87 

bers.  The  -proportion  of  those  who  after- 
wards fell  away  was,  I  am  sure,  not  greater 
than,  if  as  great  as,  that  of  those  who  became 
members  under  the  ordinary  manner  of  grace. 
My  experience  also  was,  that  many  who  were 
brought  into  the  church  in  revivals  were  from 
outside  of  my  regular  congregation.  Such 
works  of  grace  extend  their  influence  beyond 
the  bounds  of  the  regular  congregation,  and 
this  is  one  of  the  reasons  why  they  are  so 
desirable  in  a  community.  If  pastors  only 
gather  into  their  churches  the  members  of  the 

D 

Sabbath-school,  and  those  of  their  regular 
congregations,  what  is  to  become  of  what  are 
called  "outsiders"? 

I  know  it  is  said  that  "  a  church  ought  to 
be  always  in  a  revived  state."  But  what 
ought  to  be  is  not  the  fact,  ordinarily,  and,  if 
so,  what  is  to  be  done  but  to  pray  and  labor 
for  a  revival?  The  first  Christian  church 
was  born  in  a  revival  at  Pentecost,  and  the 
great  revivals  that  have  since  blessed  the 
world  have  been,  seemingly,  the  salvation  of 
the  church.  Those  in  this  country,  at  the 
beginning  of  this  century,  were  the  means  of 
turning  back  the  tide  of  French  infidelity  that 
threatened  to  sweep  over  our  land.  In  one 
such  season  in  my  own  church  a  man  was 


88  RECOLLECTIONS    OF   A    NONAGENARIAN 

converted  who  was  not  then  a  member  of  my 
congregation,  and  he  afterwards  paid  $5,000, 
and  saved  the  house  of  worship  from  sale  for 
debt. 

I  thank  God  for  revivals,  and  I  have  labored 
in  many,  not  only  in  my  own  parish  but  with 
my  brethren  in  other  places,  in  Iowa,  Wiscon- 
sin and  Illinois,  and  later  in  New  York  state. 

I  remember  one  such  season  of  great  power 
in  the  First  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  city  of 
Galena,  of  which  Rev.  A.  Kent  was  pastor. 
I  preached  daily  for  several  weeks,  and 
among  the  converts  were  a  large  number  of 
the  heads  of  some  of  the  most  prominent  fami- 
lies in  the  city,  and  among  the  results  was 
the  formation  of  two  additional  Presbyterian 
churches.  In  Grant  county,  Wisconsin,  where 
was  that  choice  band  of  ministers  to  which  I 
have  before  referred,  and  with  "whom  I  was 
associated,  I  conducted  revival  services  in 
all  their  churches,  as  well  as  in  other 
places  where  there  was  no  church,  and  where 
churches  were  formed  as  the  result.  For  sev- 
eral winters  much  of  my  time  was  thus  em- 
ployed, my  church  cheerfully  allowing  me 
the  time  and  opportunity.  I  recall  more  than 
twenty  places  where  I  thus  labored — Prairie 
du  Chien,  Potosi,  Lancaster,  Blake's  Prairie, 


REVIVAL    LABORS    IN    VARIOUS    PLACES  89 

Elk  Grove,  Platteville,  Hazel  Green,  Mineral 
Point  (Dr.  Eddy's  church),  Shullsburgh, 
Fairplay,  all  in  Wisconsin,  Galena  and  Nora, 
in  Illinois,  and  besides  Dubuque,  in  Iowa,  Dur- 
ango,  Andrew,  Belleview,  Anamosa,  Maquo- 
keta,  Lyons,  Cascade,  Iowa  City,  Garnavillo, 
Colesburgh  and  others.  In  one  case,  for 
want  of  a  suitable  building,  a  successful  meet- 
ing was  held  in  a  barn,  and  it  resulted  in 
the  erection  of  a  house  of  worship  ;  and  in 
another  case,  the  meetings  were  in  a  bowling 
alley,  generously  offered  by  the  proprietor. 
The  billiard  table  was  the  desk,  the  balls  and 
pins  piled  in  the  corner,  and  the  liquor  saloon 
in  the  opposite  end  separated  by  a  partition, 
the  sound  of  the  toddy  stick  mingling  with 
the  preacher's  voice  !  But  God  blessed  the 
work,  and  souls  were  saved. 

Some  years  later  I  published  a  series  of 
articles  in  a  local  religious  paper  in  Dubuque, 
the  Newsletter,  describing  some  of  those 
scenes,  and  they  were  afterwards  issued  in  a 
small  book  by  Henry  Hoyt,  Sunday-school 
bookseller  in  Cornhill,  Boston,  and  many 
editions  were  sold. 

It  is  worthy  of  record  here,  also,  that  at 
the  semi-centennial  celebration  of  the  Du- 
buque church,  it  was  estimated  that  twelve 


90     RECOLLECTIONS  OF  A  XOXAGEXARIAX 

young  men  of  that  church  under  my  mini.- 
had  become  preachers  of  the  gospel.  Among 
them  was  Rev.  Dr.  J.  H.  Warren,  for  many 
years  the  superintendent  of  Home  Missions 
in  California,  Rev.  Albert  Bale,  long  a  suc- 
cessful pastor  at  Melrose,  near  Boston,  and 
Reverends  John  H.  and  William  Windsor, 
sons  of  an  English  lay  preacher  who  had 
come  to  reside  in  Dubuque,  and  was  car- 
rying on,  for  a  time,  a  vegetable  garden  in 
the  suburbs.  His  two  sons  were  converted 
under  my  ministry,  and  joined  my  church. 

One  day  the  eldest  came  to  my  house  on 
an  errand,  and  on  his  departure  I  followed 
him  to  the  gate,  and  said,  "John,  don't  you 
think  you  ought  to  be  a  minister?"  It  seemed 
to  strike  him  like  a  bolt  of  electricity,  and  it 
awakened  a  though!  that  had  never  dawned 
upon  him  before.  Soon  after  that,  I  was  at 
the  father's  place  and  saw  the  other  son  hoe- 
ing in  the  melon  patch,  and  I  accosted  him  in 
the  same  manner,  and  with  the  same  result. 
But  they  could  see  no  way  of  preparation,  for 
want  of  pecuniary  means. 

But,  fortunately,  I  had  a  wealthy  friend  in 
New  London,  Connecticut,  who  was  in  the 
habit  of  aiding  promising  young  men  in  gain- 
ing an  education  for  the  ministry,  and  I  ap- 


CANDIDATES    FOR    THE    MINISTRY  91 

plied  to  him  for  help  in  the  case  of  these  two 
individuals.  He  at  once  responded  favora- 
bly, and  placed  them  on  his  list  of  candidates, 
and  ultimately  saw  them  through  college  and 
the  theological  seminary.  They  were  the  first 
two  graduates  of  Iowa  college,  and  have  since 
proved  eminently  successful  and  useful  Con- 
gregational ministers.  I  have  always  re- 
garded my  agency  in  thus  bringing  forth  for 
this  service  these  two  and  other  young  men 
as  one  of  the  opportunities  of  doing  good  for 
which  I  am  grateful  to  Providence,  and  I  can- 
not but  think  that  every  pastor  should  make 
this  one  leading  object  in  his  work  for 
Christ. 

In  1851  I  was  elected  a  corporate  member 
of  the  American  Board  of  Commissioners  for 
Foreign  Missions,  and  at  the  time  of  this  writ- 
ing (1897)  I  am  one  of  the  three  oldest  sur- 
viving members  of  the  Board.  I  have  always, 
from  the  beginning  of  my  Christian  life,  felt  a 
deep  interest  in  the  foreign  as  well  as  home 
missionary  work.  One  of  my  earliest  efforts  in 
doing  good,  after  my  conversion,  was  in  tak- 
ing a  leading  part  in  sustaining  the  monthly 
concert  of  prayer  in  the  church  in  my  native 
place,  and  one  of  the  first  things  I  did  after 
entering  on  my  first  pastorate  was  to  establish 


92  RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN        % 

such  a  concert  for   my  church,  a  home  mis- 
sionary church  though  it  was. 

During  my  early  pastorate  at  Dubuque  I 
attended  several  important  conventions.  The 
first  was  a  gathering  of  the  friends  of  educa- 
tion in  Wisconsin  and  northern  Illinois,  to 
consider  the  establishment  of  a  college  at 
Beloit.  In  the  early  days  of  my  ministry  at 
Dubuque,  I  was,  as  I  have  said,  intimately 
associated  with  brethren  in  Wisconsin.  In- 
deed, my  church  at  first  was  connected  with 
the  Mineral  Point,  Wisconsin,  convention, 
just  across  the  Mississippi,  and  I  was  installed 
by  that  body  in  my  pastorate,  hence  my  attend- 
ance at  the  educational  convention  referred 
to  at  Beloit.  It  was  there  decided  to  found  a 
college  on  the  New  England  model,  at  Beloit, 
on  the  immediate  border  of  Illinois,  and  at  the 
same  time  to  establish  a  female  seminary 
(since  called  a  college)  of  high  grade  at 
Rockford  near  by,  and  iust  south  of  the  line 
between  the  two  states,  in  the  expectation 
that  both  states  would  share  the  benefits  of 
both  institutions.  The  plan  was  carried  out 
successfully,  and  both  have  taken  the  first 
rank  among  such  institutions. 


CHAPTER   XIII 

A    MEMORABLE    EPOCH TWO    GREAT  CONVEN- 
TIONS   AT    ALBANY    AND    BOSTON 

I  come  now  to  speak  of  what  may  justly  be 
called  a  memorable  epoch  in  the  history  of 
Congregationalism  in  the  United  States,  when 
the  denomination  and  its  system  may  be  said 
to  have  become  national  instead  of  provincial. 
Hitherto  it  had  been  mainly  confined  to  New 
England.  The  famous  Plan  of  Union  be- 
tween Congregationalists  and  Presbyterians 
of  1801  had  practically  operated  to  absorb 
Congregational  ministers  and  members  into 
the  Presbyterian  body,  until  it  had  come  to  be 
claimed  that  the  Presbyterians  had — to  use  a 
land-office  term — "  preempted"  the  West,  and 
that  to  establish  a  Congregational  church 
there  was  to  trespass  on  another's  claim. 
Even  old  Dr.  Woods  of  Andover,  and  some 
other  leading  men,  advised  ministers  and 
members  of  churches  going  West  to  fall  into 
the  Presbyterian  ranks.  As  a  result,  it  is 
estimated  that  two  thousand  churches  that 
should  naturally  have  been  Congregational 
93 


94  RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

actually  became  Presbyterian,  including  quite 
a  number  that  originally  were  formed  Con- 
gregationally,  but  were  so  transformed. 

After  a  time,  the  rivalry  between  the  Old 
School  and  New  School  parties  in  the  Pres- 
byterian body  had  become  very  intense,  and 
President  Sturtevant,  in  his  "Autobiography," 
says  : 

No  one  unfamiliar  with  the  struggle  can  form  any  con- 
ception of  the  intense  hostility  of  the  New  School  party 
towards  the  spread  of  Congregationalism  west  of  the 
Hudson.  They  regarded  New  England  immigration  as 
the  chief  means  by  which  their  numbers  and  influence 
were  to  be  augmented,  and  considered  the  organization 
of  Congregational  churches  a  violation  of  good  faith, 
claiming  that  the  Plan  of  Union  was  a  solemn  league  and 
covenant  whereby  New  England  was  permanently  guar- 
anteed to  Congregationalism,  and  the  whole  region  West, 
"even  to  the  going  down  of  the  sun,1'  consecrated  to 
Presbyterianism ! 

As  the  editor  of  the  Advance  puts  it, — 

The  Plan  of  Union  was  the  first  part  of  the  "  Courtship 
of  Miles  Standish"  over  again.  The  Congregational 
Priscilla,  having  gone  west  of  the  Hudson,  is  urged  to 
unite  her  fortunes  with  that  of  Miles  Standish  Presby- 
terian, and  while  it  was  going  on  she  spun  and  wove  for 
the  second-hand  suitor,  and  assisted  in  establishing  a 
large  number  of  Presbyterian  households  ;  but  at  the  last 
she  said,  "Why  don't  you  speak  for  yourself,  John 


A    MEMORABLE    EPOCH  95 

Alden?1  and  he  did,  with  the  result  that  Congregational- 
ism marched  westward  with  the  star  of  empire,  and  be- 
came a  notable  factor  in  American  ecclesiastical  develop- 
ment. An  intelligent  lady  once  remarked  that  Congre- 
gationalism took  its  rise  in  New  England  and  flowed  west 
and  emptied  into  Presbyterianism." 

Rev.  Dr.  Roy  writes  in  "Dunning's  His- 
tory of  Congregationalism  "  : 

Rev.  A.  T.  Norton,  in  his  "History  of  Presbyterian- 
ism  in  Illinois,1'  says,  that  after  investigation  it  was  his 
full  belief  that  one  half  its  members  have  been  and  are 
New  Englanders.  And  while  the  two  denominations 
were  united  in  the  American  Home  Missionary  Society, 
it  was  ascertained  that  while  two  thirds  of  the  aided 
churches  were  Presbyterian,  two  thirds  of  the  money 
came  from  Congregational  sources.  Milk  from  Congre- 
gational cows  churned  into  Presbyterian  butter." 

The  resultant  of  the  Plan  of  Union  was  not  arrested 
until  a  Congregational  convention  was  held  in  1846,  in 
Michigan  City,  Indiana,  which  protested  against  this  de- 
nominational abnegation,  and  the  Albany  convention 
afterwards  repudiated  the  entangling  alliance. 

Previously  to  this,  there  had  begun  some 
movements  for  the  founding  of  Congregational 
churches  ;  the  Michigan  City  convention,  1846, 
gave  it  a  new  impulse,  and  there  was  devel- 
oped an  excitement  in  the  West  that  cannot 
be  realized  now  by  any  who  were  not  then  on 
the  stage  of  active  life,  nor  the  violence  of 


96  RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

the  contention  for,  and  the  opposition  to,  the 
right  of  Congregationalists  to  propagate  their 
system.  Illinois  was  at  first  the  chief  storm 
centre. 

In  and  around  Jacksonville,  Illinois,  there 
were  a  number  of  graduates  of  Yale  Theo- 
logical Seminary,  and  some  of  them  took 
decided  ground  in  favor  of  organizing  Congre- 
gational churches.  Among  these  was  Rev.  Asa 
Turner,  familiarly  called  afterwards  in  Iowa, 
"Father  Turner,"  who  organized  two  such 
churches  in  Illinois,  at  Quincy  and  Mendon, 
and  was  denounced  for  doing  so.  Even  Dr. 
Lyman  Beecher,  then  president  of  Lane  Theo- 
logical Seminary,  wrote  him,  reprimanding 
him  for  his  course,  and  even  threatening  him, 
if  he  persisted  in  it,  with  being  "  put  down." 
But  he  was  not  appalled,  and  soon  after  re- 
moved to  Iowa,  where  he  established  the  first 
church  of  the  order  and  laid  the  first  stone  in 
the  noble  edifice  of  Congregationalism  in  that 
state. 

When  Rev.  J.  M.  Sturtevant,  the  first  pro- 
fessor in  Illinois  College,  who  was  then  a 
member  of  a  presbytery,  organized  the  Con- 
gregational church  in  Jacksonville,  he  was 
even  threatened  with  being  disciplined  by  his 
associates  of  that  body  for  the  act.  He 


A    MEMORABLE    EPOCH  97 

tells  us,  in  his  interesting  "Autobiography," 
that, — 

At  that  time,  the  church  at  Jacksonville  had  no  nearer 
[Congregational]  neighbors  than  Princeton,  Mendon, 
Quincy,  and  Xaperville,  where  they  had  all  been  estab- 
lished, except  the  first,  within  a  year.  Nor  had  we  any 
reason  to  expect  that  others  would  soon  be  formed. 
These  churches  were  the  first  evidence  of  open  revolt 
against  the  operation  of  the  Plan  of  Union.  Most  of  the 
Congregational  churches  in  New  Jersey,  northeastern 
Pennsylvania,  northern  Ohio,  and  Long  Island  [and  in 
the  interior  of  New  York  state] ,  were  under  the  guardian- 
ship of  the  General  Assembly,  and  were  rapidly  becom- 
ing absorbed  in  the  Presbyterian  body.  Had  not  some 
stand  been  made  against  this  movement,  Congregational- 
ism would  soon  have  become  extinct  in  all  parts  of  the 
United  States  except  New  England.  .  .  .  But  now, 
within  fifty  years,  a  greater  number  of  Congregational 
churches  have  been  established  in  the  West  and  South 
than  ever  existed  in  New  England. 

Dr.  Sturtevant  tells  us  that  after  his  agency 
in  the  organization  of  the  church  in  Jackson- 
ville, he  visited  New  York  and  called  on  Dr. 
Peters,  then  secretary  of  the  Home  Mission- 
ary Society,  and  was  called  to  account  by 
him  for  his  course,  and  he  adds  that  this  was 
by  no  means  the  only  incident  in  which  he 
found  that  his  conduct  in  the  case  referred  to 
was  disapproved  by  eminent  friends  of  his. 

7 


98  RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

Dr.  Joel  Hawes  of  Hartford,  however,  greatly 
confirmed  him  in  his  determination  "to  ad- 
here to  the  broad  principles  of  Congregation- 
alism." But  he  says,  "  Many-tongued  rumor 
in  the  West  spread  abroad  the  insinuation 
that  my  thinking  was  wild,  erratic,  and  dan- 
gerous." 

"  During  all  his  residence  in  the  West," 
says  Dr.  Sturtevant,  "  Dr.  Lyman  Beecher 
favored  Presbyterianism.  Several  times  on 
meeting  him  after  a  long  separation,  almost 
his  first  question  would  be,  '  How  are  you 
getting  on  with  those  rabid  Congregational- 
ists  in  Illinois?'  My  ready  reply  was,  'We 
should  get  along  well  enough  if  it  were  not 
for  the  rabid  Presbyterians.'  This  was  re- 
ceived with  good  nature.  After  he  returned 
to  the  East,  he  had  little  difficulty  in  finding 
out  where  he  belonged.  His  great  heart  was 
with  the  freedom  of  Congregationalism." 

Other  churches,  after  those  referred  to, 
began  to  be  formed  in  Illinois,  Michigan, 
Wisconsin,  and  Iowa,  and  at  length  there 
followed,  not  long  after,  the  movement  in 
Chicago, — which  will  be  described  later — 
which,  with  the  actions  of  the  Albany  con- 
vention and  the  Boston  council,  settled  the 
question  of  the  right  and  duty  of  Congrega- 


A   MEMORABLE    EPOCH  99 

tionalists  to  extend  their  system  in  any  part 
of  the  land,  and,  I  may  add,  in  any  part  of 
the  world  where  Providence  should  open  the 
way. 

It  had  been  more  than  two  hundred  years 
since  the  last  great  representative  gathering 
of  Congregationalists  had  met,  viz.,  the  Cam- 
bridge Synod,  when  the  General  Association 
of  New  York  issued  an  invitation  for  a  general 
convention  to  meet  in  Albany  to  consider  the 
interests  of  the  denomination.  This  was  at 
once  responded  to  by  the  churches,  and  on 
the  5th  of  October,  1852,  the  convention,  con- 
sisting of  four  hundred  and  sixty-three  mem- 
bers, assembled  at  the  appointed  place.  I 
was  a  delegate,  with  several  others,  from 
Iowa.  Rev.  W.  T.  Dwight,  D.  D.,  a  son 
of  the  first  President  Dwight  of  Yale  College, 
who  had  been  originally  a  lawyer,  presided 
with  great  dignity  and  efficiency.  Rev.  Dr. 
Noah  Porter  of  Connecticut,  and  Rev.  Asa 
Turner  of  Iowa,  were  assistants.  I  acted  as 
one  of  the  secretaries,  with  Rev.  R.  S.  Storrs 
and  L.  S.  Hobart. 

Very  injurious  and  unfounded  reports  had 
been  industriously  circulated  by  the  opponents 
of  Congregationalism  in  the  West,  to  the 
effect  that  great  unsoundness  in  the  faith  and 


100         RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

looseness  of  discipline  prevailed  among  the 
Congregationalists,  and  that  the  polity  was 
not  adapted  to  the  West,  where  a  stronger 
and  more  stringent  one  was  needed.  These 
reports  had  been  credited  to  some  extent  in 
New  England,  and  had  excited  prejudice  and 
led  some  to  doubt  the  propriety  of  seeking  to 
extend  the  Congregational  system  in  that  sec- 
tion of  the  land. 

This  convention  gave  to  the  Western  men 
the  opportunity  to  vindicate  themselves,  and 
the  work  was  very  effectively  done,  so  that 
entire  harmony  prevailed  in  all  the  sessions. 
The  plan  of  union  was  abrogated  by  a  unani- 
mous vote,  and  other  action  was  taken  which 
may  be  regarded  as  a  very  important  step  in 
introducing  the  new  era  in  the  history  of  the 
denomination.  This  was  followed  by  another, 
later,  the  Boston  Council,  which  was  the 
culmination  of  the  measures  which  delivered 
the  denomination  from  all  the  obstacles  that 
had  hitherto  obstructed  its  expansion.  But  it 
was  not  without  a  severe  struggle  that  peace 
was  at  last  won  by  the  perseverance  of  the 
Congregational  saints. 

At  the  convention  in  Albany,  another  step 
was  taken  that  has  resulted  in  great  advan- 
tage to  the  Congregational  denomination  in 


TWO    GREAT   CONVENTIONS  IOI 

its  home  missionary  work.  The  Iowa  breth- 
ren had  for  some  time  been  urging  the  impor- 
tance of  aiding  new  churches  in  the  West  in 
erecting  houses  of  worship,  but  with  little  suc- 
cess. When  appeals  were  made  for  help  in 
this  direction  to  Eastern  men,  the  response 
came  back,  "We  will  aid  in  supplying  minis- 
ters, but  you  must  build  your  own  churches." 
And  even  some  of  the  religious  papers  at  the 
East  declined  to  publish  communications  on 
the  subject.  A  few  private  individuals  had 
responded,  however,  with  donations  to  private 
appeals,  and  I  had  the  pleasure  of  administer- 
ing some  of  these  donations. 

This  subject  was  one  of  the  topics  of  dis- 
cussion at  the  convention.  It  was  then  that 
Mr.  Bowen,  of  the  firm  of  Bowen  &  Mc- 
Namee,  merchants  of  New  York  city,  made 
the  offer  of  $10,000  towards  a  fund  of  $50,000 
for  this  purpose,  provided  the  balance  was 
raised  by  the  churches.  This  was  referred  to 
a  committee,  of  which  I  was  one.  The  other 
members  hesitated,  being  elderly  and  conser- 
vative in  their  views,  and  Mr.  Bowen  after- 
wards published  the  fact  that  I  was  the  only 
member  who,  with  him,  heartily  advocated 
and  approved  the  measure.  We  at  length 
succeeded,  however,  in  securing  a  report  from 


102          RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

the  committee,  recommending  a  general  and 
simultaneous  collection  by  the  churches,  and 
it  was  adopted  by  the  body,  and  as  the  result 
over  $67,000  were  raised.  This  was  the 
beginning  of  a  movement  which  resulted  in 
the  formation  of  the  Congregational  Church 
Building  Society,  which,  under  the  efficient 
management  of  Secretary  L.  H.  Cobb,  D.  D., 
has  proved  a  most  efficient  auxiliary  to  the 
Home  Missionary  Society  in  the  prosecution 
of  its  great  work.  It  has  had  one  legacy  of 
about  $250,000. 

And  here  I  may  as  well  refer  to  another 
general  representative  gathering  of  Congre- 
gationalists,  already  spoken  of,  of  which  I 
was  a  member,  although  it  was  not  held  until 
a  few  years  later,  namely,  the  important  Bos- 
ton Council,  memorable  in  the  annals  of  the 
denomination.  It  was  held  in  the  historic  Old 
South  Church  in  that  city,  June  14,  1865,  and 
Hon.  William  A.  Buckingham,  governor  of 
Connecticut,  presided,  assisted  by  Hon. 
Charles  G.  Hammond  of  Chicago  and  Rev. 
Dr.  J.  P.  Thompson  of  New  York  city. 

Out  of  this  has  grown  the  National  Con- 
gregational Council,  which  meets  triennially, 
of  which  I  have  several  times  been  a  mem- 
ber. It  has  no  controlling  or  legislative 


TWO    GREAT    CONVENTIONS  103 

power  over  the  churches,  but  meets  to  con- 
sider the  various  interests  of  the  denomina- 
tion, and  to  discuss  and  to  advise  in  regard  to 
ways  of  carrying  on  its  work. 

Says  Dr.  Dunning  in  his  "  History  of  Con- 
gregationalism" : 

The  work  and  necessities  of  the  various  denominational 
societies  were  considered  at  this  Boston  Council,  and 
generous  sympathy  was  expressed  for  the  other  undenom- 
inational associations.  The  Bible,  Sunday-school,  Edu- 
cation and  Tract  Societies,  and  ministerial  relief,  system- 
atic beneficence,  church  building,  and  home  and  foreign 
missions  received  attention. 

But  the  subject  of  most  absorbing  interest  was  the 
duty  of  caring  for  the  three  or  four  millions  of  slaves  just 
emancipated  and  thrown  upon  their  own  resources.  As 
a  beginning  the  Council  advised  the  raising  of  seven 
hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars  for  the  work,  and  the 
churches  responded  nobly. 

The  enthusiasm  manifested  in  the  body  was  great,  and  en- 
tire harmony  prevailed,  all  jealousies  and  differences  of  dif- 
erent  "  schools"  were  laid  aside,  and  there  was  a  perfect 
exhibition  of  the  unity  of  the  Spirit  in  the  bonds  of  love. 

The  American  Missionary  Association  at 
New  York,  supported  mainly  by  Congrega- 
tionalists,  took  up  the  work  of  evangelizing 
and  educating  this  great  body  of  enfranchised 
slaves,  now  amounting  to  some  seven  millions, 
and  has  prosecuted  it  with  great  zeal  and  suc- 
cess ;  and  that  is  the  Association  for  which  I 


104          RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

undertook  a  mission  for  raising  funds  for  this 
object,  to  which  I  shall  refer  further  on. 

The  council  also  recommended  a  platform 
of  church  polity  and  a  declaration  of  faith. 
The  latter  was  adopted  under  peculiar  circum- 
stances of  great  interest.  "Then  came  into 

O 

being,"  says  Professor  Walker,  "the  only 
declaration  of  faith  which  a  body  representa- 
tive of  American  Congregationalism,  as  a 
whole,  had  approved  since  1648,"  and  none 
has  been  set  forth  since. 

The  council  had  adjourned  to  Plymouth, 
where  the  Pilgrims  landed  and  established 
the  first  church.  In  the  elevated  burying- 
ground  where  they  were  interred,  the  decla- 
ration was  read  and  solemnly  adopted,  all 
standing  with  uncovered  heads,  Rev.  Dr. 
Ray  Palmer,  author  of  the  hymn,  "My 
Faith  Looks  Up  to  Thee,"  offering  prayer, 
and  the  hymn  and  the  doxology  were  sung. 
The  document  opens  with  these  words : 
"Standing  by  the  rock  where  the  Pilgrims 
set  foot  on  these  shores,  where  they  wor- 
shiped God,  and  among  the  graves  of  the 
early  generations,  we,  the  elders  and  mes- 
sengers of  the  Congregational  churches, 
acknowledging  no  rule  of  faith  but  the  Word 
of  God,  do  now  declare  our  adherence  to  the 


TWO    GREAT    CONVENTIONS  1 05 

faith  and  apostolic  order  of  the  primitive 
churches  held  by  our  fathers,"  etc.  Then  fol- 
lows the  statement  of  belief. 

Rev.  J.  P.  Gulliver,  D.  D.,  writing  of  this 
scene  to  the  New  York  Independent,  said : 

It  was  a  sublime  moment!  Nearly  two  hundred  and 
fifty  years  had  passed  since  the  feeble  Mayflower  company 
had  repeated  in  solemn  covenant  the  articles  of  their 
despised  faith  on  that  spot.  Now  five  hundred  men,  the 
representatives  of  five  thousand  churches,  the  representa- 
tives of  ideas  which  have  triumphed  gloriously  and  finally 
over  the  land,  the  representatives  of  Puritanism,  pure  and 
simple,  unchanged,  unabashed,  bold  and  intense  as  in  the 
days  of  the  Commonwealth,  stood  on  the  soil  made  firm 
by  the  heroic  tread  of  these  despised  men,  and  exult- 
ingly  declared,  "This  faith  is  our  faith."  These  ideas 
have  saved  our  country  and  are  going  forth,  conquering 
and  to  conquer,  over  the  world. 

There  were  two  delegates  to  the  council 
from  the  Congregational  Union  of  England 
and  Wales,  Rev.  Drs.  Vaughn  and  Raleigh. 
All  the  sessions  were  harmonious  and  deeplv 
interesting,  and  Rev.  Henry  Ward  Beecher, 
among  others,  made  a  most  spirited  address. 
This  council,  and  the  Albany  convention 
already  described,  gave  a  new  impulse  to 
Congregationalism,  and  since  then  its  spread 
over  the  continent  to  the  Pacific  ocean  has 
been  marvelous. 


106          RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

"It  is  due  to  the  scope  of  history, "says  Dr. 
Dunning,  referring  to  this  period  in  his  elabo- 
rate work,  "  Congregationalism  in  America," 
"  to  put  on  record  the  fact  that  the  Congrega- 
tional system,  by  its  advanced  ideas  on  the 
question  of  slavery,  and  its  freedom  from  all 
organic  connection  with  it,  and  from  the 
ecclesiastical  machinery  of  Presbyterianism, 
gained  largely,  not  only  by  the  turning  back 
of  Plan  of  Union  churches,  but  in  the  organi- 
zation of  new  churches — enough  nearly  to 
counterbalance  the  loss  by  the  old-time  coop- 
eration." 

In  concluding  the  subject  of  this  memorable 
epoch,  which  began  a  new  era  in  the  history 
of  Congregationalism,  it  should  be  said  that 
the  early  fathers  of  New  England  were  un- 
doubtedly sincere  in  their  desire  to  avoid  the 
multiplication  of  sects  In  the  new  states,  and 
unwisely  consented  not  to  propagate  their 
system,  but,  as  President  Sturtevant  remarks, 
"They  lost  sight  of  the  fundamentally  anti- 
sectarian  principles  of  their  system.  They 
should  have  remembered  and  enforced  the 
broad  Scriptural  rule  of  Christian  fellowship 
(which  Congregationalism  embodies)  and 
held  it  sacred  as  the  only  solvent  by  which 
all  sects  can  become  one  in  Christ  Jesus." 


TWO    GREAT    CONVENTIONS  1 07 

Had  they  done  this,  and  manfully  stood  by 
and  encouraged  those  who  went  forth  from 
them  in  carrying  the  system  wherever  they 
went,  which  had  made  New  England  such  a 
light  in  the  world,  the  great  schism  of  old  and 
new  schoolisms  in  the  Presbyterian  church 
would  not  have  occurred,  and  New  England 
would  have  been  reproduced  in  many  states 
of  the  West.  It  seems  strange  that  up  to  the 
beginning  of  the  revolt  against  the  Plan  of 
Union  in  the  West,  as  President  Sturtevant 
says,  "The  leading  minds  in  the  New  Eng- 
land churches  fully  believed  in  that  '  Plan,' 
and  accepted  the  fruits  which  it  was  produc- 
ing. They  consented  to  the  limitation  of  Con- 
gregationalism to  New  England,  and  surren- 
dered with  little  regret  the  vast  territory  west 
and  south  of  the  Hudson  to  Presbyterianism." 

Happily,  as  we  have  seen,  the  spell  was 
finally  broken,  the  eyes  of  Eastern  men  were 
opened,  and  the  heroic  men  who  contested 
the  right  of  Congregationalism  to  plant  itself 
anywhere  and  everywhere  were  at  length 
sustained,  and  a  peace  was  conquered  that 
now  prevails,  the  heretofore  contending  forces 
happily  working  harmoniously  side  by  side  in 
the  great  work  of  home  evangelization. 


CHAPTER  XIV 

BEGINNING   OF  CONGREGATIONALISM  IN  CHI- 
CAGO  DEATH  OF  SON MY  REMOVAL  TO 

CHICAGO EDITING  CONGREGATIONAL  HER- 
ALD AND  FOUNDING  OF  NEW  ENGLAND 
CHURCH RETURN  TO  DUBUQUE 

In  the  preceding  chapter  I  have  anticipated 
a  little  the  chronological  course  of  events,  in 
order  to  bring  together  the  two  great  convoca- 
tions, the  Albany  Convention  and  the  Boston 
Council,  which  had  such  a  decisive  influence 
on  the  progress  of  Congregationalism.  The 
first  of  these  great  gatherings  occurred  in 
1852,  and  the  other  in  1865. 

As  we  have  seen,  the  revolt  against  the  dis- 
astrous Plan  of  Union  had  begun  in  Central 
Illinois  by  the  organization  of  several  Congre- 
gational churches ;  the  Michigan  City  vol- 
unteer convention  in  1846  had  given  it  an 
additional  impulse,  and  in  1851  the  first  step 
was  taken  in  Chicago  which  gave  new  force 
to  the  movement  for  the  emancipation  of  Con- 
gregationalists  from  the  entangling  alliance 
with  Presbyterianism. 

"  It  was  not,"  says  Dr.  Roy,  "until  1851 
108 


CONGREGATIONALISM    IN  CHICAGO  1 09 

that  Congregationalism  found  a  foothold  in 
Chicago,  when  forty-two  of  sixty-eight  mem- 
bers of  the  Third  Presbyterian  church  in  that 
city,  having  been  excluded  from  the  church 
by  the  presbytery  on  account  of  their  attitude 
on  the  slavery  question,  called  a  council,  and 
were  recognized  as  the  First  Congregational 
church  of  Chicago.  Only  four  such  churches 
could  be  found  within  a  radius  of  forty  miles. 
The  next  year  Plymouth  church,  the  second 
of  the  order,  was  formed."  Now  (1897) 
there  are  about  seventy  such  within  the  city 
limits,  more  than  in  any  other  city  in  the 
world,  and  the  Chicago  association  of 
churches  is  the  largest  such  body  known 
in  any  land,  and  there  are  more  than  three 
hundred  such  churches  in  the  state.  "The 
last  half  century,"  continues  Dr.  Roy,  "is  a 
distinct  period  in  the  history  of  the  denomina- 
tion. During  that  time  it  has  awakened  to 
a  new  self-consciousness,  and  has  become 
national." 

The  formation  of  the  First  and  Plymouth 
churches,  followed  by  that  of  the  New  Eng- 
land, was  not  only  the  birth  of  Congrega- 
tionalism in  Chicago,  but  the  beginning  of  a 
widespread  development  in  the  middle  and 
north  West ;  but  there  was  a  mighty  struggle 


I  10          RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

on  the  part  of  its  friends  to  conquer  a  peace, 
and  establish  its  right  to  be  in  the  West. 

About  this  time  I  was  deeply  afflicted  by 
the  death  of  my  eldest  son,  a  young  man  of 
nineteen  years,  a  member  of  my  church,  who 
gave  promise,  had  health  permitted,  of  be- 
coming a  useful  man.  And  so  passed  away 
the  last  of  my  first  family,  who  are  laid 
at  rest,  far  apart,  from  Vermont  to  Iowa, 
while  I  look  forward  to  repose  in  Stockton, 
California,  beside  my  second  wife. 

And  now  (1853)  occurred  another  of  those 
marked  interpositions  of  Providence  in  my 
affairs,  of  which  I  have  so  many  to  record, 
which  again  changed  all  my  plans,  and 
opened  up  to  me  what  was,  in  some  respects, 
an  entirely  new  field  of  labor.  When  Ply- 
mouth Church,  the  second  Congregational 
church  in  Chicago,  was  ready  to  dedicate  its 
new  house  of  worship,  they  cast  about  for 
some  one  to  preach  the  sermon  who  was 
known  as  a  pronounced  and  active  advocate 
of  the  principles  and  rights  of  their  denomi- 
nation, and  they  called  on  me  to  perform 
the  service.  My  letters  in  the  Independent 
and  my  labors  in  Iowa  had  attracted  the  at- 
tention of  those  who  were  engaged  in  the 
new  movement,  and  this,  I  suppose,  led  to 


CONGREGATIONALISM    IN    CHICAGO  III 

my  selection  to  perform  the  required  duty. 
I  accepted  the  invitation,  and  preached  the 
sermon,  Rev.  L.  Smith  Hobart,  of  Michigan, 
making  the  dedicatory  prayer.  The  next 
morning  after  the  service  one  of  the  daily 
papers  published  the  following  report : 

DEDICATION     OF     THE     PLYMOUTH     CONGREGATIONAL 
CHURCH. 

This  church  was  dedicated  on  Sunday  evening  last. 
The  Rev.  Mr.  Holbrook  of  Dubuque  preached  in  the 
morning,  and  Rev.  Mr.  Hobart  of  Ann  Arbor,  in  the 
afternoon.  At  the  afternoon  service,  W.  H.  Taylor,  J.  R. 
Shedd,  J.  Johnson,  and  Mr.  Broad  were  ordained  as  dea- 
cons. The  charge  was  given  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Hol- 
brook, and  the  consecrating  prayer  was  made  by  Rev. 
Mr.  Hobart. 

In  the  evening,  the  large  house  was  crowded  to  its 
utmost  capacity.  Rev.  J.  C.  Holbrook  preached  the 
dedication  sermon.  We  could  not  be  present  ourselves, 
but  heard  it  spoken  of  as  a  very  appropriate,  able  and 
eloquent  discourse.  Rev.  Mr.  Hobart  made  the  dedica- 
tory prayer. 

The  church  is  sufficiently  commodious  to  accommodate 
a  large  congregation,  and  is  in  all  respects  worthy  of  the 
Christian  liberality  of  its  founders. 

The  progress  of  this  church  is  a  fair  example  of  the 
way  we  do  things  in  Chicago.  It  will  be  recollected  that 
it  was  organized  with  some  fifty  members,  on  the  first  day 
of  December  last.  The  ground  on  which  their  building 
now  stands  was  then  covered  with  a  number  of  small 


112          RECOLLECTIONS    OF   A    NONAGENARIAN 

tenements.  Within  two  months,  these  have  all  been 
removed,  and  a  neat,  commodious  church  edifice  has 
been  built  and  dedicated,  and  what  is  better,  it  is  paid 
for.  The  pastor's  salary  has  been  increased  and  paid, 
and  $200  have  been  given  towards  the  Congregational 
fund,  to  build  churches  at  the  West.  A  number  of  per- 
sons are  propounded  for  admission  next  Sabbath,  and 
when  admitted,  there  will  be  some  eighty  members  con- 
nected with  this  new  church.  This  certainly  speaks  vol- 
umes for  the  energy  and  Christian  enterprise  of  those 
who  have  projected  and  carried  out  this  new  religious 
effort.  It  is  just  what  we  should  expect  of  the  sons  and 
daughters  of  the  Puritans. 

We  hope  it  will  be  remembered  that  there  will  be 
preaching  in  this  church  every  afternoon  at  3  o'clock, 
and  every  evening  at  7  o'clock  during  the  week.  Rev. 
J.  C.  Holbrook  of  Dubuque  and  Rev.  Mr.  Hobart  of  Ann 
Arbor  will  assist  the  pastor  in  these  protracted  services. 

While  I  was  thus  in  Chicago,  it  was  learned 
that  the  Prairie  Herald,  a  so-called  union  reli- 
gious weekly  paper  of  that  city,  was  for  sale, 
and  it  was  suggested  that  it  should  be  pur- 
chased for  a  Congregational  organ,  and  that 
I  should  become  its  editor.  But  I  at  first 
declined  on  the  ground  that  I  was  unwilling 
to  give  up  the  pastoral  work,  to  which  I  was 
much  attached.  To  meet  this  objection,  it 
was  then  proposed  to  form  a  third  Congrega- 
tional church,  under  my  ministry,  and  that 
with  this  I  should  combine  the  editorship.  This 


EDITING    CONGREGATIONAL    HERALD  113 

seemed  to  me  a  providential  call  to  an  enlarged 
field  of  usefulness,  and  I  at  once  accepted  it 
on  condition  that  I  should  be  released  from 
my  charge  at  Dubuque.  I  accordingly  returned 
home  and  laid  the  matter  before  my  church  and 
asked  them  to  call  an  ecclesiastical  council  for 
advice.  To  this  they  very  reluctantly  agreed, 
and  a  council  was  called,  which,  after  consid- 
erable discussion,  finally  voted  to  recommend 
my  dismission  for  the  purpose  named.  I  then 
removed  my  family  to  Chicago  and  entered 
upon  my  new  work  in  1853. 

Several  individuals  united  with  me  in  the 
purchase  of  the  paper,  whose  name  was 
changed  to  The  Congregational  Herald,  and 
it  was  placed  under  my  control.  At  the  same 
time,  steps  were  taken  for  the  organization 
of  a  new  church,  several  prominent  individ- 
uals agreeing  to  lead  in  the  new  enterprise. 
Meetings  were  at  first  held  in  the  North 
Market  hall,  on  the  "  north  side,"  which  I 
conducted,  and  in  a  short  time  a  church 
organization  was  effected,  and  deacons  and 
trustees  were  elected.  Soon  afterwards,  a 
house  of  worship  in  that  division  of  the  city 
was  erected,  and  the  name,  "New  England 
Church.''  was  adopted.  We  were  fortunate 
in  having  for  one  of  our  leaders  and  deacons 
8 


114          RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

a  prominent  citizen  ajid  railroad  superintend- 
ent, and  an  ardent  and  widely-known  Con- 
gregationalist,  Col.  C.  G.  Hammond.  He 
was  also  one  of  those  associated  with  me  in 
the  purchase  of  the  paper,  and  afterwards 
one  of  the  large  contributors  to  the  theo- 
logical seminary  established  in  the  city.  In 
our  new  church  and  congregation,  also,  there 
was  a  large  body  of  young  people  of  both 
sexes,  who  added  much  to  the  efficiency  of 
the  new  enterprise.  Deacon  Philo  Carpenter 
of  the  First  Church,  to  whom  the  theological 
seminary  owes  so  much  for  his  pecuniary  lib- 
erality, and  Deacon  Joseph  Johnson  of  Ply- 
mouth Church  were  both  very  helpful  to  our 
new  church.  They  were  also  contributors 
for  the  purchase  of  the  paper.  Rev.  L. 
Smith  Hobart,  before  referred  to,  and  Rev. 
G.  S.  F.  Savage  aided  much  in  launching 
the  new  church  enterprise.  Subsequently, 
E.  W.  Blatchford,  vice-president  of  the 
American  Board,  and  W.  H.  Bradley,  Esq., 
clerk  of  the  United  States  District  Court,  be- 
came members  of  the  new  church  and  added 
greatly  to  its  strength  and  final  success. 

This  period,  as  I  have  intimated,  was  one 
of  great  excitement  and  no  little  controversy, 
and  the  paper,  of  course,  supported  the  claims 


EDITING   CONGREGATIONAL    HERALD  115 

of  the  Congregationalists.  But  it  should  be 
distinctly  understood,  that  neither  my  breth- 
ren nor  myself  were  engaged  in  opposing  the 
legitimate  efforts  of  Presbyterians  to  extend 
their  system  and  multiply  their  churches,  but 
we  were  simply  contending  for  the  right, 
which  was  disputed,  of  Congregationalists 
to  do  the  same.  We  insisted  that  wherever 
there  were  those  who  preferred  the  Congrega- 
tional polity,  they  should  be  allowed  to  adopt 
it  and  form  churches  of  that  order,  without 
opposition  and  without  reproach  or. suspi- 
cion. We  were  then  of  the  opinion  expressed 
some  years  later  by  Rev.  Dr.  C.  L.  Goodell 
of  St.  Louis  in  an  address  before  the  Congre- 
gational Club  of  Chicago,  that, 

Congregationalism  should  no  longer  be  regarded  as 
local,  but  universal.  As  republicanism,  which  came  in 
the  compact  in  the  Mayflou'er,  went  across  the  continent 
and  spans  a  free  people  from  sea  to  sea,  so  must  the 
polity  of  the  church  do  that  sailed  in  the  same  ship.  It 
has  the  same  adaptations  and  fitnesses  and  desirability  and 
strength.  We  have  been  too  slow  to  grasp  this  fact.  We 
have  crept  timidly  where  we  should  have  marched  forward 
in  faith  and  courage,  strong  in  the  principle  with  which 
God  armed  us.  *  *  *  There  has  been  a  blind 
unbelief  in  the  ability  of  Congregationalism  to  meet  the 
wants  of  men.  "There  is  no  material  here  for  Congre- 
gationalism" has  been  the  cry  of  too  many  good  men. 


Il6          RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

I  declare  to  you,  that  wherever  there  is  a  soul  to  save 
there  is  material  for  Congregational  work.  Call  it 
denominational  zeal  if  you  will;  I  call  it  devotion  to 
the  great  truths  on  which  we  are  founded." 

The  end  for  which  we  contended  was  finally 
secured,  and  peace  and  harmony  were  restored, 
and  since  then  there  has  been  a  good  degree 
of  comity  observed  by  both  parties  in  their 
work  of  evangelization  and  "  Ephraim  no 
longer  envies  Judah,  nor  does  Judah  vex 
Ephraim."  Each  wishes  for  the  prosperity 
of  the  other  in  its  work  for  the  common 
Master.  There  is  something  worse  than 
war,  a  timid  and  cowardly  submission  to 
wrong,  a  yielding  of  principle  for  the  sake 
of  peace.  "First  pure,  then  peaceable." 

In  editing  the  new  paper,  I  was  aided  to 
some  extent  by  the  other  Congregational  pas- 
tors in  the  city,  but  the  whole  management  of 
the  paper,  financial  and  editorial,  devolved  on 
me,  and  I  found  the  double  duty  of  editor  and 
pastor  required  the  exercise  of  my  utmost 
ability,  both  mental  and  ^physical.  The 
paper  gained  a  very  considerable  circulation 
in  the  West,  and  did  much  to  stimulate  the 
friends  of  Congregationalism,  while  the  new 
church  (the  New  England)  increased  in 
numbers  and  influence,  and  it  finally  be- 


CHICAGO    THEOLOGICAL    SEMINARY  1 17 

came  one  of  the  most  important  in  the  city. 
It  has  since  had  several  very  able  pastors, 
Rev.  S.  C.  Bartlett,  D.  D.,  afterwards  pro- 
fessor in  the  seminary,  Rev.  Dr.  J.  G.  John- 
son, and  others. 

At  this  time  the  subject  of  establishing  a 
theological  seminary  in  the  interior  \vas  agi- 
tating the  minds  of  ministers  in  different 
localities.  In  1853  Rev.  L.  Smith  Hobart 
of  Michigan  prepared  a  plan  for  such  an 
institution  of  a  somewhat  unique  form,  which 
was  favorably  considered  by  the  General  As- 
sociation, but  no  steps  were  taken  for  carry- 
ing it  into  execution.  In  the  following  year, 
Rev.  Stephen  Peet,  of  Batavia,  near  Chi- 
cago, conceived  the  idea  of  starting  a  semi- 
nary in  Chicago,  and,  consulting  his  neigh- 
bor, Rev.  G.  S.  F.  Savage,  they  invited 
others  to  meet  them  in  the  city.  A  conven- 
tion was  called  which  was  largely  attended, 
at  which  it  was  decided  to  go  forward  with 
the  scheme.  "  Meanwhile,"  say  the  direct- 
ors of  the  seminary,  in  their  "  Historical 
Sketch,"  "  the  movement  was  begun  and  the 
project  was  held  before  the  churches  by  Rev. 
J.  C.  Holbrook,  in  the  Congregational  Her- 
ald, of  which  he  was  the  editor."  A  board 
of  directors  was  chosen,  and  a  charter  of 


Il8          RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

incorporation  secured,  and  Rev.  Mr.  Peet 
was  appointed  financial  agent.  Only  six  of 
these  directors  were  living  in  1897,  of  whom 
I  am  the  oldest. 

Mr.  Peet,  the  financial  agent,  entered 
heartily  into  the  work  of  raising  funds,  in 
which  he  was  successful.  But  in  1857  there 
occurred  the  memorable  depression  in  busi- 
ness in  the  country,  and  it  became  problem- 
atical whether  the  enterprise  of  establish- 
ing the  seminary  could  be  carried  out.  At 
the  triennial  convention  (1861)  Mr.  Olm- 
stead,  the  treasurer,  suggested  that  in  view 
of  the  state  and  prospects  of  the  finances  it 
would  perhaps  be  best  to  abandon  the  enter- 
prise, and  E.  D.  Holden,  a  prominent  lay 
director,  of  Milwaukee,  seconded  the  propo- 
sition. But  the  great  majority  said  No.  The 
directors  in  their  report  said,  "There  is  a 
fear  abroad  that  the  seminary  is  in  -peril  of 
death,  and  the  terrible  fact  is  that  those  fears 
are  warranted."  The  salaries  of  the  profes- 
sors were  not  half  paid,  and  a  large  debt  had 
been  incurred  in  the  purchase  of  a  location. 
Deacon  Philo  Carpenter,  however,  came  to 
the  rescue  by  gifts  and  change  of  location. 
He  contributed  $60,000  while  living,  and 
$55,000  by  bequest;  Mr.  Keyes  of  Quincy 


CHICAGO  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY       119 

gave  a  block  in  that  city  that  netted  about 
$12,000;  Col.  C.  G.  Hammond  of  Chicago 
gave  about  $50,000,  and  Dr.  D.  K.  Pearson 
afterwards  gave  $230,000. 

The  plan  of  the  lecture  and  reading  terms 
was  kept  up  for  thirty  years.  Their  spe- 
cial course  in  English  was  adopted,  and  there 
are  German,  Swedish,  Norwegian,  and  Dan- 
ish departments  of  great  value,  to  provide 
ministers  for  the  vast  foreign  population  of 
the  West. 

The  result  has  been  the  establishment  of 
one  of  the  most  important  institutions  of  the 
kind  in  our  land,  with  several  large  and  ele- 
gant buildings,  and  a  faculty  unsurpassed  in 
ability  by  that  of  any  other  seminary  of  our 
own  or  any  other  denomination.  After  the 
death  of  Mr.  Peet,  Rev.  A.  S.  Kedzie,  of 
Michigan,  was  appointed  financial  agent,  and 
for  upwards  of  twelve  years  he  served  with 
great  efficiency,  largely  increasing  the  en- 
dowment, and  in  other  ways  promoting  the 
success  of  the  enterprise. 

The  Chicago  Theological  Seminary  is 
characterized  by  several  peculiarities.  One 
of  these  is  its  government.  Instead  of  being 
controlled  by  a  self-perpetuating  and  inde- 
pendent board  of  trustees,  it  has  a  board  of 


120  RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

directors,  elected  by  a  triennial  convention  of 
delegates  from  the  churches  of  all  the  states 
of  its  constituency,  so  that  it  is  responsible 
directly  to  them,  and  the  proceedings  of  the 
board  are  brought  into  review  every  three 
years.  At  the  convention  before  referred  to, 
there  was  much  discussion  in  regard  to 
making  the  training  of  the  students  practical, 
and  this  was  advocated  by  Messrs.  Hobart 
and  Peet,  and  has  been  virtually  accom- 
plished by  arrangements  for  city  missions, 
Chicago  Commons,  and  the  sociological 
department. 

Says    the    "Historical    Sketch,"    already 
referred  to  : 

In  the  convention,  some  urged  a  special  course  of 
study,  by  which  men,  too  old  to  go  through  college,  or  for 
other  reasons  unable  to  do  so,  yet  nevertheless  having 
had  advantages  of  study,  and  having  withal  a  heart 
devoted  to  the  work,  and  natural  gifts  therefor,  might 
be  educated  for  the  ministry.  This  course  was  advo- 
cated by  Rev.  J.  C.  Holbrook,  suggested,  perhaps,  by 
his  own  successful  experience,  and  as  the  course  of  other 
Christian  denominations  had  suggested  to  many  minds. 
The  convention  authorized  this  department  of  the  semi- 
nary's work ;  and  the  usefulness  of  the  men  who  have 
thereby  been  educated  for  the  ministry  has  amply  justi- 
fied the  wisdom  of  the  convention.  In  its  essential 
features,  this  course  of  study  has  been  adopted  by  other 
theological  seminaries. 


RETURN    TO    DUBUQUE  121 

I  was  one  of  the  charter  members  of  the 
institution  and  for  several  years,  and  until 
I  left  the  West,  a  director.  Rev.  G.  S.  F. 
Savage,  D.  D.,  who  has  been  secretary  for 
thirty-six  years,  has  been  a  very  active  and 
efficient  worker  for  it,  and  to  him  is  due  much 
of  the  credit  of  its  success.  He  has  also  been 
actively  associated  with  all  the  measures  for 
advancing  Congregationalism  in  the  West, 
from  the  Michigan  City  convention  in  1846 
till  now,  and  has  been  a  member  of  all  the 
great  conventions  since  the  former. 

For  about  two  years,  I  continued  to  dis- 
charge the  double  duty  of  editor  of  the  new 
paper  and  pastor  of  the  new  church,  the  most 
laborious  period  of  my  life.  But  at  length  I 
found  myself  too  severely  taxed  for  this  pur- 
pose, and  I  was  compelled  to  relinquish  the 
charge  of  the  church,  and  to  devote  myself 
exclusively  to  the  paper.  At  the  end  of  my 
third  year  in  Chicago,  I  was  visited  by  a 
prominent  member  of  the  Dubuque  church, 
who  was  commissioned  to  endeavor  to  induce 
me  to  return  and  resume  my  former  position 
as  its  pastor.  He  represented  that  trouble 
had  arisen  in  the  church,  and  that  it  had 
resulted  in  the  secession  of  a  considerable 
number  of  the  members  to  form  a  second 


122          RECOLLECTIONS    OF   A    NONAGENARIAN 

Presbyterian  church  ;  that  great  discourage- 
ment had  arisen  among  the  remaining  mem- 
bers ;  that  they  felt  that  my  return  was 
indispensable,  and  he  begged  me  to  yield  to 
their  request,  and  to  resume  my  former  pas- 
torate with  them.  This  appeal  touched  my 
heart,  and  I  could  not  resist  the  claims  of  my 
old  and  beloved  flock.  I  therefore  secured  a 
successor  in  the  editorial  chair,  and  with  my 
family  returned  again  to  Dubuque,  and  was 
duly  reinstalled  by  a  council  in  my  former 
position. 

Thus,  having  finished  my  peculiar  work 
in  Chicago,  and  having  been  warmly  wel- 
comed back  to  my  old  field,  I  again  resumed 
my  labors  in  Dubuque,  and  was  cheered  by 
the  renewed  confidence  awakened  in  the 
church,  and  by  the  earnest  cooperation  of 
the  members  of  the  congregation.  During 
this  second  pastorate  we  were  favored  with 
several  important  revivals  of  religion,  and  I 
was  assisted  in  one  of  these  by  Rev.  Zachary 
Eddy,  and  in  others  by  such  noted  evangel- 
ists as  Horatio  Foote,  O.  Parker,  and  J.  T. 
Avery.  The  work  in  connection  with  the 
last-named  was  very  extensive.  Mr.  Avery 
preached  daily  for  several  weeks  with  great 
effect ;  and,  as  the  result,  there  were  a  hundred 


RETURN    TO    DUBUQUE  123 

conversions,  including  quite  a  body  of  young 
men,  who  proved  a  very  valuable  acquisition 
to  the  church. 

At  that  time  I  had  a  deacon  who  was  fond 
of  a  joke,  and  on  the  Sunday  morning  on 
which  this  large  number  of  persons  was 
received  into  the  church,  he  was  standing  in 
front  of  the  edifice,  a  little  before  service, 
when  a  gentleman  from  Boston,  passing  by, 
inquired  what  church  that  was.  Being  told, 
and  invited  to  enter,  he  was  seated  in  the 
deacon's  pew,  and  when  I  read  the  names  of 
the  candidates,  and  they  filed  out  in  the  aisle 
to  enter  into  covenant,  the  gentleman  was 
much  astonished  at  the  sight,  and  whispering 
to  the  deacon,  he  inquired  how  many  we 
usually  received  at  a  time  in  that  church. 
"Oh, "replied  the  deacon,  "  generally  about 
a  hundred,"  to  the  great  amazement  of  the 
inquirer. 


CHAPTER    XV 

ERECTION      OF    A     NEW    HOUSE     OF    WORSHIP 

TRIP         TO        CALIFORNIA EXCURSIONS        IN 

CALIFORNIA 

Soon  after  my  return  to  Dubuque  from 
Chicago,  we  found  it  necessary  to  erect  a 
new  house  of  worship.  Not  only  was  that 
which  we  occupied  too  small  to  accommodate 
the  increasing  congregation,  but  it  was  situ- 
ated on  the  main  street  of  the  city,  and  in  the 
midst  of  business  blocks,  and  a  more  quiet 
location  was  desirable.  We  were  offered 
$20,000  for  the  site  and  building  (the  site,  it 
will  be  remembered,  cost  originally  only 
$250)  which  we  accepted,  and  secured  a 
location  a  little  more  retired  from  the  noise 
and  confusion  of  the  former  place.  A  sub- 
scription was  also  secured  for  $10,000,  and 
with  $30,000  we  began  the  erection  of  a  fine, 
spacious,  modern  edifice,  not  surpassed  by 
any  other  then  in  the  state,  and  which,  with 
subsequent  improvements,  now  stands  in  the 
front  rank  of  church  buildings  in  Iowa. 

In  the  spring  of  1859  I  received  an  invita- 
124 


THE  THIRD  HOUSE. 


TRIP    TO    CALIFORNIA  125 

•c 

tion  to  visit  San  Francisco,  California,  and 
supply  the  pulpit  of  the  First  Congregational 
church  there,  during  the  absence  of  the  young 
pastor,  who  was  going  East,  like  Coelebs,  "in 
search  of  a  wife."  Obtaining  leave  of  ab- 
sence from  my  church  for  several  months,  I 
accepted  the  offer,  and,  proceeding  to  New 
York  with  my  wife,  we  took  the  steamer  for 
Aspinwall,  and,  crossing  the  isthmus,  reem- 
barked  at  Panama  on  another  steamer,  on  the 
Pacific,  reaching  San  Francisco  after  a  pleas- 
ant passage  of  twenty-six  days.  There  was 
then  no  transcontinental  railroad.  On  the 
bright  morning  of  March  17,  1859,  we  passed 
througli  the  Golden  Gate,  and  first  set  foot  on 
California  soil.  How  vividly  do  I  recall  the 
experiences  of  that  trip  ! — the  voyage  down 
the  Atlantic  coast  (it  was  my  first  sea  voy- 
age), ihe  landing  at  Aspinwall,  the  crossing 
of  the  isthmus  by  rail,  the  reembarkation  at 
Panama  on  the  broad  Pacific,  the  call  at 
Acapulco,  in  Mexico,  the  passage  through 
the  Golden  Gate,  and  the  first  sight  of  Sa*n 
Francisco,  hemmed  in,  as  it  then  was,  by  the 
sand  hills  on  the  west.  One  incident  that" 
occurred  on  the  way  was  especially  thrilling. 
A  few  days  out  of  Panama  we  were  aroused 
in  the  night  by  rappings  on  the  window  of 


126          RECOLLECTIONS    OF   A    NONAGENARIAN 

to 

our  stateroom,  and  the  cry,  "  The  ship  is  on 
fire!"  We  and  our  neighbors  were  speedily 
gathered  on  the  guards,  and  our  consterna- 
tion may  be  imagined  as  we  gazed  off  upon- 
the  not  far  distant  shores,  barren,  rocky  and 
uninhabited,  and  wondered  how  we  could 
subsist  there,  if  we  should  be  so  happy  as  to 
reach  them.  Ere  long,  however,  to  our 
great  relief,  the  fire  was  subdued,  and  we 
retired  again  to  rest.  The  Sunday  following 
our  arrival  I  commenced  my  labors  as  tem- 
porary pastor,  which  continued  until  the  fol- 
lowing November,  when  my  leave  of  absence 
was  to  expire. 

I  much  enjoyed  my  connection  with  the 
First  Church  and  congregation  during  the 
summer,  and  especially  the  opportunity 
afforded  me  to  see  the  new  and  wonderful 
Golden  State,  only  ten  years  after  the  grand 
rush  of  gold  seekers  to  it  from  all  parts  of 
this  land,  and  even  of  the  world.  Regularly, 
at  the  end  of  each  month,  I  drew  my  salary, 
$200,  in  twenty-dollar  pieces,  and  was  at 
liberty  to  spend  the  intervening  time  between 
Sabbaths  in  trips,  with  my  wife,  to  the  vari- 
ous points  of  interest  in  the  country. 

How  different  then  was  what  is  now  the 
great  metropolis  of  the  Pacific  coast !  There 


EXCURSIONS    IN    CALIFORNIA  127 

were  then  no  street  railways,  no  fine  churches, 
none  of  the  palatial  residences  and  towering 
business  blocks,  and  it  was  the  terminus  of  no 
railroad  into  the  interior.  One  small  ferry- 
boat plied  across  the  bay  to  the  little  village 
of  Oakland,  a  large  part  of  the  site  of  the 
present  city  being  then  covered  with  ever- 
green oaks. 

"  Whoever,"  wrote  the  celebrated  Rev. 
Dr.  Horace  Bushnell  of  Hartford,  after  a 
visit  to  this  state,  "  wishes  for  health's  sake 
or  for  any  other  reason  to  change  the  scen- 
eries or  the  objects  and  associations  of  his  life, 
should  set  off,  not  for  Europe,  but  for  Cali- 
fornia. And  this  the  more  certainly  if  he 
is  a  sharp  and  loving  observer  of  nature,  for 
nature  meets  us  there  in  moods  entirely  new. 
California  is  a  new  world,  having  its  own 
combinations,  characteristics,  and  colors." 

Some  of  the  excursions  I  made,  accompa- 
nied by  my  wife,  were  of  peculiar  interest,  and 
some  account  of  them  was  published  in  The 
Pacific  and  in  Eastern  papers.  From  these 
I  will  give  some  extracts.  These  excursions 
were  made,  it  will  be  remembered,  while  the 
country  was  yet  new,  and  in  a  very  different 
manner  than  they  are  now  accomplished  by 
railroads  and  coaches. 


CHAPTER   XVI 

EXCURSIONS       IN       CALIFORNIA TO      MISSION, 

SAN      JOSE THE       GEYSERS,      OR       BOILING 

SPRINGS 

My  first  excursion,  accompanied  by  my 
wife,  was  from  San  Francisco  across  the  bay 
to  Oakland  and  up  the  San  Jose  valley,  in 
Alameda  county,  to  the  Mission,  San  Jose, 
where  we  first  saw  one  of  the  quaint  old  edi- 
fices erected  by  the  monks. 

Another  excursion  was  to  the  famous  gey- 
sers in  Napa  county.  Taking  the  little  steamer 
plying  between  San  Francisco  and  Petaluma, 
we  reached  the  latter  place  about  dusk.  In 
the  morning  we  took  the  stage,  and,  passing 
the  pretty  and  lively  little  village  of  Santa  Rosa 
at  a  distance  of  some  twenty-five  miles,  we 
passed  into  the  Russian  River  valley,  which, 
we  were  then  told,  was  the  only  section  of 
the  state  in  which  Indian  corn  could  be 
raised, — the  crop  which,  in  the  middle  West, 
we  are  accustomed  to  regard  as  a  greater 
source  of  wealth  than  the  gold  mines  of  Cali- 
fornia, but  of  which  we  had  seen  no  signs  in 
128 


EXCURSION    TO    MISSION  I  29 

our  previous  rambles.  Now  it  may  be  often 
found  elsewhere  in  the  state.  It  was  like 
seeing  an  old  friend  to  look  there  on  the 
stately  form  of  Mondamin  as  we  passed. 

We  left  the  stage  at  Ray's  Station,  at  the 
foot  of  the  mountain  range  where  the  geysers 
are  found.  Here  we  expected  to  take  to  the 
saddle.  What  was  our  dismay,  on  inquiry, 
to  find  that  a  party  had  preceded  us  and  taken 
all  the  horses  that  were  available  !  What  was 
to  be  done?  There  were  no  accommodations 
for  eating  or  sleeping,  there  being  only  one 
small  hut  with  two  7x9  rooms.  At  length, 
however,  the  keeper  of  the  station  bethought 
himself  of  two  old  nags,  one  a  mare,  not  in 
very  good  traveling  condition.  These  we 
might  have  if  we  chose.  We  hesitated,  but 
it  was  Hobson's  choice,  and  we  ordered  them 
up.  Two  dilapidated  saddles  were  found, 
and  we  mounted  and  set  off  up  the  mountain. 
It  was  past  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  and 
there  was  a  long,  hard  ride  before  us  and  no 
house  on  the  way.  But  the  moon  was  at  the 
full,  and  we  were  told  that  the  trail  was  plain, 
and  as  we  had  by  this  time  become  accus- 
tomed to  California  mountain  life  from  pre- 
vious trips,  we  did  not  fear,  knowing  that  the 
worst  that  could  befall  us  would  be  to  be  com- 
9 


130          RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

pelled  to  camp  out  in  the  bland  climate,  and 
go  supperless  to  rest,  minus  a  bed. 

We  soon  found  that  we  were  in  no  danger 
of  being  run  away  with,  for  our  nags  were  of 
the  number  of  those  (some  human)  who  are 
born  tired.  They  bore  the  whip  bravely,  and 
thus  afforded  us  employment  to  beguile  our 
way  ;  but  there  was  a  fearful  expenditure,  on 
our  part,  of  propelling  power.  It  was  some- 
thing like  riding  a  bicycle,  only  the  propel- 
ling force  was  in  the  hands  instead  of  the 
feet.  Thus  we  toiled  on,  making  what  speed 
we  could,  an  occasional  descent  helping  to 
give  impetus  to  our  steeds ;  and  just  after 
nightfall  we  reached  the  end  of  the  ridge 
from  which  we  were  to  enter  the  canyon  of 
the  geysers. 

The  moon  had  risen  and  shone  out  brightly, 
so  that  we  had  no  difficulty  in  keeping  the 
trail  down  the  steep  declivity,  and  soon  we 
could  faintly  distinguish  the  puffing  of  the 
great  geyser,  and  began  to  perceive  the  sul- 
phurous vapors  that  impregnated  the  air, 
which  assured  us  that  we  were  approaching 
our  place  of  destination.  Presently  the  cheer- 
ful light  from  the  hotel  windows  broke  on 
our  sight,  and,  hastening  on,  we  dismounted 
at  the  door.  We  were  regaled  with  a  bounti- 


THE   GEYSERS  131 

ful  supper,  partly  of  game,  and  found  com- 
fortable quarters  for  the  night. 

In  the  morning  we  rose  early  and  eagerly 
gazed  from  the  windows  of  our  chamber  to 
behold  our  surroundings.  Opposite  to  us, 
across  the  valley,  rose  a  high,  precipitous 
mountain,  and  near  the  foot  of  it  we  could  see 
the  vapors  curling  up  from  the  boiling  springs, 
which  were  themselves  hidden  from  our  view. 
After  taking  a  sulphur  bath  in  water  drawn 
from  the  warm  springs,  and  partaking  of  an 
excellent  breakfast,  we  sallied  forth  to  explore 
the  locality  and  to  examine  the  wonderful 
objects  of  curiosity  congregated  there.  We 
found  we  were  near  the  bottom  of  a  deep 
mountain  gorge  or  chasm,  with  sides  from 
one  thousand  to  fifteen  hundred  feet  high, 
covered  with  a  fine  growth  of  evergreen  tim- 
ber. Through  this  gorge  ran  a  small  stream 
called  the  River  Pluton.  Crossing  this,  we 
followed  a  footpath  up  the  opposite  ascent, 
and  soon  reached  some  fissures  in  the  rocks, 
from  which  issued  clouds  of  steam  from  boil- 
ing springs  below.  This  was  "  The  Devil's 
Wash-tub."  And,  by  the  way,  that  personage 
seems  to  possess  many  localities,  as  we  have 
found  in  various  sections. 

Turning    now   to    the    left,   we    beheld  the 


132          RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

large  body  of  vapor  rising  from  the  Great 
Geyser.  Following  the  trail,  we  reached 
a  projecting  point  called  the  "  Mount  of  Fire," 
and  from  it  gazed  down  into  a  deep  cavity 
called  the  "Devil's  Canyon,"  and  saw  all 
along,  for  a  distance  of  an  eighth  of  a  mile 
on  both  sides  of  the  cavity,  some  fifty  feet 
deep,  jets  of  vapor  from  a  multitude  of  fis- 
sures filling  the  air  with  sulphurous  odors. 
After  watching  these  operations  for  a  short 
time,  we  descended  into  the  ravine,  winding 
our  way  cautiously  where  it  was  safe  to  tread, 
and  at  length  found  ourselves  in  "The  Cham- 
ber of  Horrors."  We  soon  reached  the  prin- 
cipal or  "Steamboat  Geyser,"  so  called  be- 
cause it  sends  forth  a  noise  resembling  that 
from  the  escape  pipe  of  a  high-pressure 
steamer  letting  off  steam.  Standing  on  one 
side  of  this  Great  Geyser,  we  shuddered  to 
think  that  the  earth  might  give  way  beneath 
us  and  plunge  us  into  the  burning  abyss. 
The  heat  was  intense,  and  at  a  distance  of 
several  feet  we  were  in  danger  of  scorching 
our  shoes. 

A  little  further  down  we  beheld  a  large 
round  basin  in  the  rock,  six  or  eight  feet  in 
diameter  and  three  or  four  deep,  filled  with 
dark,  sulphurous  mud  of  the  consistency  of 


THE    GEYSERS  133 

paste  or  hasty  pudding,  heated  to  great  inten- 
sity, and  boiling  and  sputtering  and  throwing 
up  jets  in  the  liveliest  manner.  This  is  called 
by  some  "The  Devil's  Punch-bowl,"  and 
by  others,  "  The  Witch's  Caldron." 

All  around  us,  as  we  passed  on,  we  heard 
the  hissing  of  steam,  and  found  the  earth 
heated  to  a  high  degree,  and  in  some  spots 
too  soft  to  bear  the  tread  of  human  foot,  while 
on  every  side  the  air  was  charged  with 
various  suffocating  gases,  showing  that  there 
is  a  variety  of  ingredients  commingled  in 
the  mysterious  chambers  below.  In  this 
immediate  locality  there  is  little  or  no  vege- 
tation, but  not  far  off  it  appears  to  be  wonder- 
fully stimulated  by  the  heat. 

High  mountains  shut  in  the  gorge,  and 
innumerable  empty  cavities  are  seen,  which 
are  exhausted  laboratories  and  extinct  foun- 
tains. Altogether,  large  and  small,  there  are 
not  less  than  two  hundred  fissures,  from 
which  vapors  issue,  and,  what  is  very  remark- 
able, there  are  here  congregated  in  immedi- 
ate vicinage  to  each  other  springs  of  every 
degree  of  temperature,  from  very  cold  to  the 
intensest  heat,  and  containing  a  great  variety 
of  ingredients.  Here  are  found  pure  alum, 
salt,  and  sulphur,  and  springs  in  which  all 


134         RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

are  mingled,  and  others  in  which  iron  and 
manganese  are  added.  Pure  Epsom  salts, 
alum,  and  sulphur  can  be  gathered  here  by 
handfuls.  What  a  grand  natural  laboratory 
is  this  ! 

The  geysers  were  discovered  in  1847  by  a 
hunter.  They  were  visited  by  Professor  For- 
est Shephard  in  1850  or  1851.  He  and  his 
party  from  Napa  valley  reached  the  peak  of 
the  mountain  overlooking  the  Geyser  canyon 
one  morning,  and  he  thus  describes  what  he 
saw  : 

Immediately  at  our  feet  there  opened  an  immense 
chasm,  apparently  formed  by  the  rending  of  the  moun- 
tain. The  sun's  rays  had  penetrated  into  the  narrow 
valley,  and  so  lighted  up  the  dark  defile,  that,  from  a  dis- 
tance of  four  or  five  miles,  we  distinctly  saw  dense  col- 
umns of  steam  rising  from  the  banks  of  the  little  river 
Pluton.  It  was  with  difficulty  we  could  persuade  our- 
selves that  we  were  not  looking  down  upon  some  manu- 
facturing city,  until  by  a  tortuous  descent  we  arrived  at 
the  spot  where,  at  once,  the  secret  of  the  inner  world 
opened  upon  our  astonished  senses.  In  the  space  of  half 
a  mile  we  discovered  some  two  hundred  openings, 
through  which  steam  issued  with  violence  to  the  height 
of  1 50  to  200  feet.  The  roar  of  the  largest  tube  could 
be  heard  for  a  mile  or  more,  and.  the  sharp  hissing  of  the 
smaller  ones  is  still  ringing  in  my  ears.  Numerous  cones 
are  formed  by  the  accumulations  of  various  salts  and 
deposits  of  sulphur  crystals.  Some  of  the  cones  appear 


THE    GEYSERS  135 

to  be  immense  boiling  caldrons,  and  you  hear  the  lashing 
and  foaming  gyrations  beneath  your  feet.  Curiosity 
impels  you  forward — fear  holds  you  back ;  and  while  you 
are  hesitating,  the  thin  crust  beneath  your  feet  gives  way, 
and  you  feel  yourself  sinking  into  the  fiery  maelstrom  below. 
The  rocks  around  are  rapidly  dissolving  under  the 
metamorphic  action.  Porphyry  and  jasper  are  trans- 
formed into  a  kind  of  potter's  clay.  Granite  is  rendered 
soft.  Feldspar  is  partly  converted  into  alum,  and  wood 
is  silicified  or  changed  into  lignite.  In  this  connection, 
finding  some  drops  of  a  very  dense  fluid,  highly  refrac- 
tive, I  was  led  to  believe  that  pure  carbon  might  crys- 
tallize and  form  the  diamond.  Unfortunately,  I  lost  the 
precious  drop.  Multitudes  of  grizzly  bears  used  formerly 
to  make  their  beds  on  the  warm  ground,  and  panthers, 
deer,  hares,  and  squirrels  would  take  up  their  winter 
quarters  in  the  very  midst  of  the  geyser  mounds. 

Such  are  the  geysers.  We  spent  two  days 
in  this  interesting  spot,  and  bathed  in  natural 
sulphur  baths,  and  wandered  about  the  local- 
ity. Remounting  our  horses,  we  retraced  our 
wav  by  the  tortuous  bridle  path  to  Ray's  Sta- 
tion. On  the  way,  early  that  memorable 
morning,  we  were  favored  with  the  sight  of  a 
glorious  sunrise  such  as  I  have  never  seen 
surpassed  except  once — from  the  top  of 
Mount  Washington  in  the  New  Hampshire 
White  Mountains.  Far  off  in  the  distance  was 
the  Russian  River  valley,  covered  with  a 
dense  fog  rising  from  the  stream,  which  gave 


136          RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

the  appearance  of  a  beautiful  lake,  whose  wa- 
ters were  rolling  in  billows,  while  here  and 
there  were  seen  the  lofty  conical  hilltops,  which 
rose  above  the  fog,  resembling  islands.  It 
was  a  complete  optical  illusion,  and  we  could 
hardly  persuade  ourselves  that  we  were  not 
looking  upon  a  vast  sheet  of  water.  At  eight 
o'clock  we  reached  Ray's — just  in  time  to 
catch  the  stage  for  Napa,  where  we  spent  a 
day.  The  next  morning,  early,  we  hired  a 
horse  and  buggy  and  passed  down  through 
the  far-famed  valley  to  Napa  City,  where  we 
embarked  in  a  steamer  for  San  Francisco. 
The  early  ride  down  that  valley  I  shall  never 
forget.  I  thought  I  had  seen  a  bit  of  Para- 
dise in  the  San  Jose  valley,  but  Napa  even 
exceeded  that  in  beauty.  The  road  ran 
through  its  center,  and  was  as  level  as  a 
house  floor,  and  almost  as  hard  as  if  it  were 
macadamized.  The  valley  was  one  continu- 
ous wheat-field,  yellow  with  the  ripening 
grain ;  evergreen  oaks,  with  long  pendant 
branches,  were  scattered  through  it ;  the  air 
was  fresh  and  balmy  in  the  early  morning  ; 
the  meadow-lark  sang  his  matin  song,  and 
everything  combined  to  exhilarate  the  spirits 
and  charm  the  eye  and  ear.  And  so  ended 
a  delightful  week. 


CHAPTER   XVII 

THE    FAMOUS    YOSEMITE    VALLEY 

The  most  laborious  and  at  the  same  time 
the  most  interesting  excursion  that  we  made 
on  that  memorable  summer  was  to  the  far- 
famed  Yosemite  Valley.  We  were  fortunate 
enough  to  visit  it  at  an  early  period,  and  to  see 
it  in  its  pristine  state,  and  before  it  had  un- 
dergone many  changes  and  improvements(  ?). 

Comparatively  few  had  preceded  us,  and 
I  believe  I  preached  the  first  sermon  that 
was  ever  delivered  in  it.  There  was  then  no 
railroad  to  relieve  the  fatigue  of  any  part  of 
the  journey,  nor  even  a  carriage  road  for  a 
considerable  part  of  the  way.  Our  route  was 
by  steamer  to  Stockton,  and  thence  by  stage 
sixty  miles  to  Coulterville.  Beyond  this 
place  there  were  no  public  conveyances,  and, 
associating  ourselves  with  several  young  gen- 
tlemen, we  mounted  hardy  and  sure-footed 
mustangs,  and  with  a  mounted  guide  and  a 
pack  mule  to  carry  our  carpetbags,  blankets, 


138          RECOLLECTIONS    OF   A    NONAGENARIAN 

cooking  utensils,  and  provisions,  we  formed  a 
grotesque  group,  as  dressed  for  the  expedi- 
tion we  emerged  from  the  little  village  to 
plunge  into  the  wilderness.  Twenty  miles 
brought  us  to  Black's  ranch  for  the  night,  the 
last  habitation  before  reaching  the  valley. 

At  5  o'clock  the  next  morning  we  again 
mounted  our  horses  for  a  long  and  hard  day's 
ride.  Our  path  was  a  narrow  bridle  trail,  up 
steep  mountain  sides,  over  precipitous  spurs, 
through  deep  gorges  and  ravines,  and  dense 
forests,  in  which  we  saw  no  living  things  but 
lizards,  while  the  silence  was  most  profound, 
unbroken  by  even  the  twitter  of  a  bird.  At 
length,  having  traveled  forty  miles  that  day, 
we  reached  the  point  where  the  trail 
descended  into  the  valley.  And  such  a 
descent !  It  was  truly  appalling.  We  were 
5,000  feet  above  sea  level,  and  3,500  above 
that  of  the  valley  below.  The  path  was  not 
more  than  a  foot  wide,  and  ran  in  a  zigzag 
course  down  the  mountain  side.  My  wife 
was  secured  from  falling  over  her  horse's 
head  by  a  strap  which  kept  her  in  her  seat. 
Preceded  by  our  guide  and  the  pack  mule, 
we  screwed  our  courage  up,  and,  allowing 
our  steeds  to  pick  their  way,  we  at  length 
reached  the  bottom  of  the  descent,  almost  too 


THE    FAMOUS    YOSEMITE   VALLEY  139 

exhausted  to  retain  our  seats,  and  looked 
back  to  survey  the  steep  declivity  and  indulge 
a  feeling  of  gratitude  that  the  feat  was  safely 
accomplished. 

Following  then  the  bank  of  the  charming 
crystal  Merced  River,  which  runs  through  the 
whole  length  of  the  valley,  amidst  a  verdant, 
grassy  meadow,  at  the  end  of  five  miles,  tired 
almost  beyond  endurance,  we  reached  our 
stopping-place  for  the  night.  That  night 
was  one  long  to  be  remembered.  We  took 
our  evening  meal  in  a  canvas  tent,  for  there 
was  no  house  at  that  time  in  the  valley,  and 
then  cast  about  for  a  place  to  sleep.  There 
were  no  inhabitants  there,  but  I  secured  a 
bed,  such  as  it  was,  for  my  wife,  in  a  rough 
board  shanty  occupied  by  a  family  that  had 
arrived  a  few  days  before  to  keep  a  sort 
of  tavern,  the  woman  being  the  only  one 
within  fifty  or  sixty  miles  of  the  place.  For 
myself  a  bed  of  shavings  and  a  blanket  under 
the  branches  of  some  trees  formed  my  rest- 
ing-place, where  I  slept  as  soundly  as  any 
crowned  head  under  the  silken  canopy  of  his 
downy  couch.  It  was  a  glorious  night,  the 
heavens  were  clear,  stars  shone  out  brightly, 
and  a  full  moon  illuminated  the  valley. 
Directly  opposite,  and  in  full  view,  half  a 


140          RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

mile  distant,  the  great  Yosemite  Fall  poured 
its  foaming  waters  down  a  precipice  nearly 
3,000  feet  high,  and  by  its  monotonous 
thunder  helped  to  lull  me  to  sleep.  That 
was  my  first  night  in  this  weird  spot,  and  you 
may  imagine  my  feelings  as  I  tried  to  realize 
where  I  was,  far  up  in  the  Sierras,  and 
"among  some  of  the  most  wonderful  scenes  of 
nature  to  be  found  on  earth. 

In  the  morning,  refreshed  with  sleep  in  this 
cool  and  bracing  atmosphere,  we  were  ready 
to  explore  the  wonders  of  the  place.  The 
valley  derives  its  name  from  a  tribe  of 
Indians.  It  is  some  ten  miles  in  length,  run- 
ning in  a  due  east  and  west  direction,  so  that 
the  sun  rises  at  one  end  and  sets  at  the  other, 
casting  into  it  his  cheering  beams  all  day 
long.  It  is  a  vast  rift  of  the  Sierra  Nevadas, 
and  forms  a  natural  curiosity  of  which  no 
adequate  impression  can  be  given  by  mere 
description.  I  had  read  about  it,  and  con- 
versed with  those  who  had  visited  it,  but  I 
had  no  just  conception  of  it  until  I  saw  it.  If 
there  were  no  falls  it  would  be  worth  a  thous- 
and miles'  travel  to  see  its  towering  rocks 
and  mountain  peaks  enclosing  a  lovely 
meadow,  and  the  meandering  river  winding 
its  way  at  its  own  sweet  will.  But  there  are 


THE    FAMOUS    YOSEMITE    VALLEY  141 

falls  congregated  there  such  as  can  be  seen 
nowhere  else. 

Standing  in  one  place,  you  seem  to  be  in 
the  midst  of  a  perfect  amphitheater,  and  you 
are  reminded  of  Dr.  Johnson's  Happy  Valley 
in  Rasselas.  Indeed,  his  description  almost 
tallies  with  this  view.  As  you  pass  through 
the  valley  you  see  numerous  peaks  of  fan- 
tastic forms,  resembling  well-known  objects, 
and  named  accordingly. 

Passing  up  the  valley  from  where  we 
entered  it,  we  beheld  the  first  graceful  water- 
fall, the  Bridal  Veil,  on  the  right.  A  little 
further  on,  at  the  left,  the  huge  promontory 
of  rock  called  El  .Capital)  rises,  of  smooth, 
grey  granite,  3,090  feet  high,  or  three  fifths 
of  a  mile,  and  so  perpendicular  that  a  marble 
dropped  from  the  top  at  the  length  of  a  man's 
arm,  would  not  touch  it  before  reaching  the 
ground.  Think  of  standing  at  its  base  and 
looking  at  its  top,  seven  times  as  high  as  the 
dome  of  St.  Peter's  at  Rome !  What  a 
pigmy  does  one  seem  to  himself  to  be  in 
such  a  position,  and  how  insignificant  do 
all  human  works  appear  by  the  comparison  ! 
Further  up  the  valley  are  the  twin  peaks 
called  "  The  Brothers,"  and  then  comes 
another,  shaped  like  a  tower,  and  on  its 


142  RECOLLECTIONS    OF   A    NONAGENARIAN 

round  front  appears  what  looks  like  a  clock- 
face,  with  hands  pointing  to  half-past  six. 
At  the  extreme  upper  end  of  the  valley  are 
the  two  domes,  the  loftiest  of  all,  one  of  them 
3,729  feet  high,  while  opposite  to  it  the  other 
rises  to  a  height  of  4,593  feet.  The  original 
mass  had  fallen  away  from  some  convulsion, 
leaving  these  peaks  standing,  and  had 
dammed  the  river  below,  forming  a  beautiful 
lake.  Here  was  the  traditionary  home, 
according  to  the  Indians,  of  the  guardian  of 
the  valley.  On  the  face  of  one  dome  are  the 
outlines  of  a  crowned  head — Tu-tock-a-nula, 
and  the  Indian  tradition  is  that  this  was  the 
name  of  the  last  presiding  spirit,  and  that  he 
carved  the  outlines  of  his  noble  head  upon 
the  face  of  the  rock. 

But  the  waterfalls — not  one  only,  but  six — 
are  all  different,  and  exceedingly  beautiful. 
I  have  already  referred  to  one,  the  Bridal 
Veil,  formed  by  a  small  river  with  a  descent 
iuto  the  valley  on  the  side  of  925  feet,  which 
forms  a  spray  resembling  the  delicate  fabric 
of  which  ladies'  veils  are  made.  Some  miles 
further  up  the  valley  is  the  Vernal  Fall, 
where  the  whole  volume  of  the  Merced  River 
tumbles  over  a  ledge  of  rocks,  perpendicu- 
larly, 600  feet.  Still  further  up  the  same 


THE    FAMOUS    YOSEMITE    VALLEY  143 

stream  is  the  Nevada  Fall,  700  feet  in  height. 
But  the  grandest  of  all  these  falls  is  the 
Yosemite,  not  on  the  Merced,  but  on  a 
stream  that  rises  high  up  in  the  Sierras, 
which,  reaching  the  side  of  the  valley, 
pitches  itself  by  three  grand  leaps  over  a 
precipice  2,500  feet  high,  the  first  leap  being 
1,500,  the  second  400,  and  the  last  600. 
This,  in  its  totality,  is  the  highest  known 
waterfall  in  the  world.  Niagara  is  only  160 
feet,  though,  of  course,  with  a  far  larger  vol- 
ume of  water ;  Passaic  is  70,  the  falls  of  the 
Nile  are  40,  and  some  in  the  Alps  1,000. 
But  think  of  this,  half  a  mile  high  !  Looking 
up  from  the  bottom,  the  stream  at  the  top, 
fifty  feet  wide,  appears  to  be  not  more  than 
eighteen  inches.  While  fording  this  stream 
near  the  foot  of  this  fall,  my  wife's  horse  sud- 
denly lay  down  in  the  middle  of  it,  compel- 
ling her  to  slide  oft'  into  the  water,  which, 
fortunately,  was  not  deep.  The  guide  hav- 
ing brought  out  the  horse,  she  remounted, 
suffering  no  serious  inconvenience  in  the  dry 
and  warm  atmosphere,  and  we  proceeded  on 
our  course. 

Such  is  a  very  inadequate  description  of 
this  wonderful  valley.  A  gentleman  who 
spent  the  Fourth  of  July  there  the  season 


144          RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

previous  to  our  visit,  witnessed  a  thunder 
storm,  of  which  he  said  "  the  effect  no  words 
can  describe." 

"  From  crag  to  crag 
Leaped  the  live  thunder — 

Not  from  one  lone  cloud, 

• 
But  every  mountain  found  a  tongue." 

Rev.  Dr.  Anderson,  pastor  of  the  First 
Presbyterian  Church  in  San  Francisco,  when 
I  asked  him  if  it  was  worth  while  to  visit  the 
valley,  said  : 

MY  DEAR  SIR, — You  had  better  go  if  it  were  to  cost 
you  a  thousand  dollars.  I  have  traveled  in  Europe  from 
the  Alps  to  Perth  in  Hungary,  and  I  never  saw  anything 
equal  to  it.  I  certainly  miss  there  the  glaciers  of  Cha- 
mouni,  but  I  know  of  no  single  wonder  on  earth  that 
can  claim  a  superiority  to  the  Yosemite.  Just  imagine 
yourself  for  one  hour  in  a  vast  chasm  nearly  ten  miles 
long,  with  ingress  and  egress  for  birds,  and  water  at 
either  extremity,  and  none  elsewhere  except  at  three 
points — up  the  sides  3,000  to  4,000  feet  high,  the  chasm 
scarcely  more  than  a  mile  wide,  with  walls  of  mainly 
naked  and  perpendicular  gray  granite,  so  that  looking  up 
to  the  sky  is  like  looking  out  of  an  unfathomable  pro- 
found— and  you  will  have  some  conception  of  the 
Yosemite. 

Says  another  clergyman,  who  has  visited 
the  Alps,  and  found  no  parallel : 


THE    FAMOUS   VOSEMITE    VALLEY  145 

And  what  shall  I  say  when  standing  in  the  valley  a 
mile  wide  ?  You  know  that  if  those  granite  walls 
should  fall  towards  each  other,  they  would  smite  their 
foreheads  together  hundreds  of  feet  above  where  you 
stand. 

We  spent  four  days  in  the  valley,  and 
could  have  enjoyed  as  many  more  in  explor- 
ing its  wonders,  had  we  not  been  compelled 
to  bid  it  adieu.  To  avoid  so  long  and  hard  a 
horseback  ride  on  our  return  as  when  we 
went  up,  we  left  the  valley  about  three 
o'clock  P.  M.,  by  the  same  trail  by  which  we 
entered,  and  spent  the  night  at  the  top  of  the 
ridge  under  shelter  of  some  noble  evergreen 
trees.  Our  guide  picketed  the  horses  while  I 
kindled  a  fire  and  put  on  the  kettle  for  a 
tin  cup  of  the  beverage  that  "  cheers  but  not 
inebriates."  We  then  spread  our  blankets  on 
a  bed  of  hemlock  boughs,  and  went  to  rest  on 
the  bosom  of  mother  earth.  The  next  morn- 
ing we  were  in  the  saddle  again  at  five 
o'clock,  and  stopping  only  to  lunch  at  noon, 
we  spent  the  night  again  at  Black's,  and  the 
next  day  at  Coulterville.  We  took  the  stage 
for  Stockton  and  the  steamer  for  San  Fran- 
cisco, where  we  again  found  ourselves  in  the 
midst  of  the  hum  and  hurry  and  thronged 
streets  of  the  city,  quite  in  contrast  with  the 

10 


146          RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A   NONAGENARIAN 

natural  grandeur  and  solitude  of  the  valley 
we  had  lately  left. 

The  influence  of  such  scenes  as  we  had 
witnessed  is  most  salutary  on  a  reflective 
mind.  Says  Bryant : 

To  him  who  in  the  love  of  nature 

Holds  communion  with  her  visible  forms, 

She  speaks  a  various  language. 

And  she  ever  proclaims  the  power  and  wis- 
dom and  goodness  of  the  glorious  Mind  that 
designed  a  world  so  full  of  innumerable  forms 
of  grandeur  and  beauty. 

There's  nothing  bright,  above,  below, 
From  flowers  that  bloom  to  stars  that  glow, 
But  in  its  light  my  soul  can  see 
Some  features  of  the  Deity. 

It  is  not  a  wild  fancy  that  God  himself  takes 
pleasure  in  the  beauties  of  the  works  of  crea- 
tion. Charles  Kingsley,  in  his  book  on  the 
West  Indies,  after  describing  some  curious 
and  wonderful  productions  of  nature  says : 

There  are  those  that  will  smile  at  my  superstition  if  I 
state  my  belief  that  He  who  ordained  the  laws  of  nature 
had  as  one  end  in  view  that  he  might  delight  himself  in 
the  beauty  of  some  of  these  creations.  Be  it  so.  If  so, 
their  minds  are  differently  constituted  from  mine. 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

THE    GIGANTIC    SEQUOIAS    OR    BIG    TREES 

On  another  occasion  we  took  a  steamer  for 
Sacramento,  and,  visiting  the  State  fair,  were 
much  surprised  by  the  evidence  afforded  of 
the  resources  and  progress  of  the  then  new 
state.  The  pyramids  of  mammoth  squashes, 
some  weighing  250  pounds  each,  and  other 
vegetable  products,  astounded  us,  and  served, 
in  a  measure,  to  prepare  us  to  behold  the 
gigantic  denizens  of  the  "Big  Tree  Grove" 
(the  California  term),  which  \vere  the  ulti- 
mate objects  of  our  trip. 

Taking  the  stage  from  the  capital  city  for 
Mokelumne  Hill,  we  mounted  horses  at  the 
latter  place  for  a  solitary  ride  across  a  moun- 
tain ridge  covered  with  a  dense  forest.  Our 
course  was  on  a  narrow  trail  difficult  to  fol- 
low, and  we  were  often  at  a  loss  as  to  the 
right  way,  but  at  length  we  came  in  sight 
of  the  Mammoth  Tree  Hotel  in  the  edge  of 
the  grove.  The  approach  to  the  house  was 
between  two  noble  specimens  of  the  trees, 
147 


148          RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

which  stood  about  fifteen  feet  apart  and  were 
called  "The  Guardsmen."  One  was  twenty 
and  the  other  twenty-two  feet  in  diameter, 
and  sixty  and  sixty-six  feet  in  circumference, 
respectively.  They  rose  to  the  height  of  300 
feet,  that  is,  100  feet  higher  than  Trinity 
Church  steeple  in  New  York  city,  and  were 
as  straight  as  an  arrow. 

The  discovery  of  the  big  trees  was  made 
by  a  hunter  named  Dowd,  who  was  employed 
by  a  water  company  to  procure  meat  for  their 
workmen.  One  day,  while  Dowd  was  pur- 
suing a  grizzly  bear  which  he  had  wounded, 
he  suddenly  came  upon  one  of  these  immense 
trees  and  was  amazed  at  the  sight.  He  for- 
got his  bear,  and,  stopping  in  mid-career,  he 
stepped  back  and  surveyed  it  with  his  eye 
and  then  walked  around  it  and  estimated  its 
height  and  circumference,  and  then  took  his 
way  back  to  camp.  He  told  the  men  what 
he  had  seen,  but  was  only  laughed  at  for  his 
Munchausen  story,  and  was  told  that  the 
fright  caused  by  the  bear  had  disordered  his 
vision.  Subsequently,  he  induced  some  of 
the  men  to  go  with  him,  ostensibly  in  quest 
of  a  wounded  grizzly,  and  leading  the  way 
he  was  soon  able  to  point  out  the  tree,  and 
then  exclaimed,  "There  is  the  grizzly  I 


THE    GIGANTIC    SEQUOIAS    OR    BIG    TREES        149 

spoke  of!"  The  story  soon  spread  and  the 
existence  of  the  grove  was  ascertained,  which 
has  since  been  a  place  of  resort  for  visitors 
from  all  parts  of  the  state  and  the  land.  The 
whole  area  occupied  by  it  is  about  fifty  acres, 
and  there  are  nearly  one  hundred  full  grown 
specimens  of  the  species.  Twenty  of  them 
exceed  twenty-five  feet  in  diameter. 

Leaving  the  hotel  after  resting  a  little  from 
the  fatigue  of  the  horseback  ride,  we  entered 
a  canvas  tent  and  beheld  an  enormous  stump, 
the  top  of  which  was  about  seven  feet  from 
the  ground.  This  had  been  smoothed  off' 
like  a  floor,  and  around  the  outer  edge  were 
arranged  seats.  We  were  told  that  dancing 
parties  had  occupied  this  floor,  and  that  on 
one  occasion  four  sets  of  cotillions  of  eight 
persons  each,  or  thirty-two  in  all,  used  it  at 
once,  while  at  another  time  the  troupe  of  Alle- 
ghanian  singers  gave  a  concert  upon  it  to  an 
audience  of  fifty  persons  !  Stepping  across  it, 
I  found  it  was  ten  paces  in  diameter,  or  about 
thirty  feet.  Hardly  believing  it,  I  walked 
around  the  outside  and  assured  myself  by  a 
survey  that  it  was  a  veritable  tree  stump,  the 
roots  still  fixed  in  the  ground.  Skepticism 
then  vanished.  Realizing  that  my  statements 
as  to  the  size  of  this  tree  might  seem  to  be 


150          RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

incredible,  I  took  the  precaution  to  procure  a 
string,  which  was  carried  around  the  stump, 
and  in  lecturing  to  my  congregation  in  Du- 
buque  on  my  return  home  I  stood  on  the 
platform  and  held  one  end  of  the  string, 
while  the  other  was  carried  around  the  large 
room  in  which  I  was  speaking.  It  nearly 
reached  around  it,  and  inclosed  a  large  part 
of  the  audience.  While  this  was  in  progress, 
amid  constant  outbursts  of  laughter,  there  was 
at  last  a  grand  cheer  as  the  real  truth  as  to 
the  dimensions  of  the  tree  was  realized. 

On  one  side  of  the  stump  lay  the  tree 
which  had  been  felled,  and  the  top  of  its 
sides  reached  as  high  as  the  eaves  of  the 
house.  On  one  side  a  ladder  with  twenty- 
six  steps  was  placed  by  which  to  ascend 
upon  it.  Reaching  the  top  by  this,  I  began 
to  wonder  how  this  tree  was  felled,  and  was 
told  that  some  years  before  some  vandals 
resolved  upon  the  act;  but  to  attempt  to 
accomplish  it  with  axe  or  saw  was  useless, 
and  so  they  employed  a  number  of  augers  of 
large  size,  and  fifteen  feet  long,  with  which 
they  bored  a  series  of  holes  around  it,  but 
still  it  refused  to  fall.  At  length  another 
large  tree  was  felled  against  it,  and  it  came 
down  with  a  tremendous  crash,  the  noise 


THE    GIGANTIC    SEQUOIAS    OR    BIG    TREES        151 

reverberating  through  the  forest  like  thun- 
der, startling  the  birds  from  their  eyries  and 
the  beasts  from  their  lairs. 

With  sudden  roar  the  aged  monarch  falls ; 
One  crash,  the  death  hymn  of  the  perfect  tree. 
Low  lies  the  plant  to  whose  creation  went 
Sweet  influence  from  every  element ; 
Whose  living  towers  the  years  conspired  to  build, 
Whose  giddy  top  the  morning  loved  to  gild. 

Five  men  were  occupied  twenty-five  days 
in  accomplishing  the  overthrow.  It  was  the 
very  tree  the  hunter,  Dowd,  first  discov- 
ered. And  yet,  large  as  it  was,  it  was  not 
the  big  tree  of  the  group. 

Leaving  this  point,  we  took  the  tour  of  the 
grove,  and  following  the  prescribed  path,  and 
entering  the  shadows,  we  looked  around  with 
awe  and  reverence  as  we  beheld  the  lofty 
trees  towering  upward  towards  the  heavens, 
and  were  reminded  of  Bryant's  noble  forest 
hymn  : 

The  groves  were  God's  first  temples  ;     *     *     * 
Amidst  the  cool  and  silence  man  knelt  down 
And  offered  to  the  Mightiest,  solemn  thanks 
And  supplications.     Ah,  why 
Should  we,  in  the  world's  riper  years,  neglect 
God's  ancient  sanctuaries  and  adore 
Only  among  the  crowd  and  under  roofs 
That  our  frail  hands  have  made? 


152          RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

The  principal  trees  of  the  group  had 
received  fanciful  names,  which  were  affixed 
to  them  by  labels,  with  the  dimensions  of 
each.  One  whose  vast  trunk  had  been 
burned  out,  though  still  standing,  was  called 
"The  Miner's  Cabin."  Three  others,  in 
close  proximity,  were  "The  Graces";  then, 
further  on,  "The  Old  Bachelor,"  a  forlorn 
specimen,  298  feet  high,  with  rents  in  the 
bark,  symbolic  of  the  dilapidated  garments 
of  its  namesake,  showing  the  inconvenience 
of  single  life;  then  "The  Old  Maid,"  stiff 
and  firm,  the  spinster  of  the  family,  at  a 
respectful  distance  from  the  Bachelor,  and  all 
her  foliage  gathered  in  a  tuft,  like  a  cap,  at 
the  top.  "  The  Husband  and  Wife  "  seemed 
affectionately  leaning  towards  each  other  for 
a  chaste  kiss,  as  their  branches  interlocked. 
But  "  Hercules"  was  the  largest  and  finest 
specimen  of  standing  trees,  estimated  to  con- 
tain 725,000  feet  of  lumber,  or  enough  to 
make  a  good-sized  raft.  "  The  Father,"  en- 
feebled by  age,  had  been  blown  down  some 
years  before,  and  we  traversed  the  hollow 
trunk  inside  for  two  hundred  feet  in  an  erect 
position,  as  if  going  through  some  vast  tunnel. 
Through  a  knot-hole  on  one  side  visitors 
make  their  egress,  illustrative  of  receding 


THE   GIGANTIC   SEQUOIAS   OR    BIG   TREES        153 

from  an  untenable  position  or  "  creeping  out 
of  a  knot-hole."  The  circumference  of  this 
tree  is  no  feet,  giving  a  diameter  of  33  feet. 
When  standing,  it  rose  to  the  height  of  450 
feet.  This  seems  almost  incredible,  as  the 
height  of  the  dome  of  St.  Peter's  at  Rome,  the 
highest  in  the  world,  is  only  the  same. 

But  the  greatest  wonder  of  all  was  the 
horseback  ride  lengthwise  through  the  trunk 
of  a  huge  old  tree,  once  overthrown  by  the 
wind.  About  seventy-five  feet  in  length  of 
the  prostrate  trunk  had  been  burned  out,  and 
through  that  length  visitors  rode  on  horseback 
without  stooping,  as  I  did  myself.  This 
gives,  perhaps,  the  most  striking  idea  of  the 
vast  dimensions  of  these  trees. 

As  I  was  delivering  a  lecture  on  this  sub- 
ject in  a  certain  town,  after  my  return  home, 
there  was  a  lady  in  the  audience  who  sat  and 
listened  with  amazement  to  my  descriptions 
until  I  reached  this  point  of  the  horseback 
ride,  when,  drawing  a  long  breath,  she 
turned  to  a  gentleman  at  her  side  and  whis- 
pered, as  I  afterwards  learned,  "I  suppose 
we  must  believe  all  this,  for  it  is  a  minister 
that  says  it." 

Walking  about  through  the  grove,  our 
guide  pointed  out  a  young  specimen  of  the 


154         RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

species  about  two  feet  high.  The  contrast 
was  ludicrous  between  it  and  its  giant  neigh- 
bors two  or  three  thousand  years  old,  perhaps, 
and  we  could  not  help  laughing  at  the  idea  of 
this  little  fellow  starting  thus  in  the  race  of 
life,  with  high  hopes  and  lofty  ambition  to 
rival  his  parent  and  uncles  and  aunts  so  many 
hundred  feet  high.  But  we  bade  him  God- 
speed, and  no  doubt,  if  he  perseveres,  he  will, 
in  time,  stand  as  loftily  erect  as  his  relatives, 
and  some  two  thousand  years  hence  be  as 
great  an  object  of  curiosity  as  they.  But 
what  a  length  of  time  to  wait  for  his  maturity  ! 

It  is  difficult  to  convey  the  idea  of  the  size 
of  these  trees  to  one  who  has  not  seen  them. 
As  to  the  height,  think  of  a  church  steeple  of 
150  feet,  and  yet  it  is  only  half  the  height  of 
some  of  them,  and  one  third  of  that  of  the 
highest.  For  the  size,  a  board  200  feet  long 
might  be  sawed  from  the  center  of  one  trunk 
which,  set  on  edge,  would  cover  the  whole 
front  of  a  block  of  two-story  houses. 

As  to  the  age  of  some  of  these  trees.  A 
correspondent  of  the  London  Times  calculated 
it  to  be  6,408  years,  reaching  back  to  the 
times  of  Adam.  But  no  doubt  there  was  a 
mistake  in  the  data  of  his  calculation.  But 
from  counting  the  rings  they  have  been  sup- 


THE   GIGANTIC   SEQUOIAS    OR    BIG    TREES        155 

posed  to  be  from  2,000  to  3,000  years  old  at 
least.1  No  castle  in  Europe  is  half  as  antiqua- 
ted. They  were  hoary  at  the  period  of  the 
crusades.  But  one  thing  only  is  more  awe- 
inspiring — the  great  pyramid  of  Egypt.  Says 
Dr.  Bushnell :  "We  enter  where  these  ma- 
jestic minarets  are  crowded  as  in  some  city  of 
pilgrimage,  there  to  look,  for  the  first  time,  in 
silent  awe  at  the  mere  life  principle."  Says 
another : 

Their  age  unknown.     In  what  depths  of  time 

Might  fancy  wander  sportively  and  deem 

Some  monarch  of  this  grove  set  forth 

His  tiny  shoot,  when  primeval  flood 

Receded,  or  perhaps,  coeval  with  Assyrian  kings, 

His  branches  in  dominion  spread  ;  from  age 

To  age  his  sapling  heirs  with  empire  grew. 

While  art  and  science  slept,  their  sturdy  younglings  throve, 

And  in  their  turn  rose  when  Columbus 

Gave  to  Spain  a  world. 

A.  church  spire  has  been  called  a  finger 
pointing  to  heaven.  So  these  treres  prompt 
the  language  of  devotion — 

Father,  Thy  hand 

Hath  reared  these  venerable  columns. 

1  We  have  the  great  authority  of  Professor  Whitney  and  Asa  Gray 
that  the  sequoia  of  California  have  attained  more  than  two  thousand 
years  of  age.  See  an  article  by  Asa  Gray  in  Johnson's  Cyclopedia, 
2d  edition,  vol.  7,  p.  133. 


156          RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

My  heart  is  awed  within  me  when  I  think 
Of  the  great  miracle  that  still  goes  on 
In  silence  round  me — the  perpetual  work 
Of  Thy  creation  finished  and  yet  renewed 
Forever.     Written  on  Thy  works  I  read 
The  lesson  of  Thine  own  eternity. 


CHAPTER  XIX 

OTHER    EXCURSIONS RETURN    TO  DUBUQUE 

THE  IMPORTANCE  OF  THE  PACIFIC  COAST — 
CHILDREN  ADOPTED ANTI-SLAVERY  AGI- 
TATION  BEGINNING  OF  THE  WAR  OF  THE 

REBELLION 

We  visited  several  localities  where  the  pro- 
cess of  hydraulic  mining  was  in  operation, 
and  were  astonished  at  its  extent  and  at  the 
expense  of  money  and  labor  involved.  There 
were  miles  on  miles  of  flumes  or  aqueducts 
along  the  hillsides  and  across  deep  canyons, 
to  bring  the  necessary  immense  quantities  of 
water.  So  vast  were  the  excavations  created 
with  this  water  that  the  soil  carried  into  the 
rivers  below  was  found  eventually  to  be  an 
obstruction  to  navigation,  and  a  law  was 
passed  to  prevent  the  filling  up  of  the  streams. 
It  seemed  as  if  Titans  had  been  at  work  tear- 
ing up  the  earth  and  leveling  the  hills.  Mill- 
ions on  millions  of  gold  were  extracted.  It 
was  worth  a  long  journey  to  witness  the 
results  of  human  enterprise,  labor,  and  pecu- 
niary outlay  in  the  greedy  search  for  gold. 

At  that  time  Rev.  W.  C.  Pond  was  per- 
'57 


158          RECOLLECTIONS    OF   A    NONAGENARIAN 

forming  self-sacrificing  work  as  a  home  mis- 
sionary at  Downieville,  an  important  mining 
locality  in  the  same  region.  We  wished  to 
visit  him.  The  place  was  in  a  deep  valley, 
surrounded  on  all  sides  by  mountains,  and  no 
carriage  or  wagon  road  had  been  constructed 
to  afford  access  to  it.  Everything  there  had 
been  carried  in  on  the  backs  of  mules.  One 
of  these  animals  had  been  killed  in  conveying 
an  iron  safe  into  the  place,  and  the  sole  piano 
(and  there  ivas  one  there)  was  lowered  dowrn 
one  of  the  sides  of  the  valley  by  ropes,  as  the 
only  mode  of  getting  it  there.  As  the  single 
way  of  reaching  the  place  was  on  mule  backs, 
we  procured  a  couple  of  those  useful  animals 
at  the  nearest  stage  station  where  we  were 
stopping,  and,  thus  mounted,  followed  the 
very  narrow  ascending  trail  along  the  side  of 
a  mountain,  and,  after  a  long  and  fatiguing 
ride,  descended  into  the  town  and  were 
greeted  by  the  missionary  at  his  house. 

It  was  rather  a  perilous  ride,  as  the  track 
was  barely  wide  enough  for  a  single  mule  to 
pass  over  it,  and  a  misstep  on  his  part  might 
precipitate  both  him  and  his  rider  down  the 
precipice.  Such  accidents  rarely  happened, 
however,  with  such  sure-footed  and  sagacious 
beasts,  although,  not  long  before,  a  heavily 


OTHER    EXCURSIONS  1 59 

loaded  one  thus  fell  and  was  killed,  either 
from  a  misstep  or  from  being  crowded  off  by 
a  train  going  in  an  opposite  direction.  This 
meeting  of  trains  was  one  source  of  danger, 
and  it .  required  great  caution  when  it  hap- 
pened, especially  if  it  was  where  no  provision 
had  been  made  for  such  an  exigency  by  exca- 
vations in  the  side  of  the  mountain.  We 
spent  two  or  three  days  in  Downieville,  in- 
cluding a  Sabbath  when  I  preached.  We 
not  only  enjoyed  our  visit,  but  were  enabled 
to  cheer  the  lonely  minister  and  his  excellent 
wife  by  our  presence. 

One  other  excursion  only  of  this  very  inter- 
esting season  I  will  mention.  My  brother-in- 
law,  Dr.  Clark,  being  desirous  of  giving  the 
finishing  touch  to  our  impression  of  the  beau- 
ties of  the  state,  procured  a  lively  pair  of 
horses  and  a  carriage,  and,  with  his  wife, 
gave  us  a  sweeping  tour  around  the  south 
end  of  the  magnificent  bay  of  San  Francisco. 
Proceeding  up  the  west  side,  stopping  at  one 
of  the  palatial  residences  on  the  way  and 
refreshing  ourselves  with  luscious  grapes 
from  its  great  conservatory,  liberally  pre- 
sented by  the  proprietor,  a  friend  of  the  Doc- 
tor's, we  spent  the  night  at  San  Jose,  the 
Garden  City.  The  next  morning  we  drove 


160         RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

to  New  Almaden  and  explored  the  quicksilver 
mine  there  with  much  interest.  Returning 
down  the  east  side  of  the  bay,  through  the 
beautiful  San  Jose  valley,  to  Oakland,  we 
crossed  the  ferry  to  the  city,  after  a  most 
delightful  trip  of  several  days,  and  not  long 
after  began  making  preparations  for  our 
departure  for  home. 

On  the  5th  of  November  we  embarked  on 
the  steamer  for  Panama,  and  crossing  the 
isthmus  by  rail  and  reembarking  again  at 
Aspinwall,  we  were  in  New  York  after  a 
passage  of  twenty-six  days.  We,  however, 
had  another  experience  of  danger,  even  more 
exciting  than  that  occasioned  by  the  fire  on 
shipboard  on  our  way  out.  In  the  Gulf  of 
Tehuantepec  we  were  overtaken  by  a  severe 
storm  in  the  night  and  were  in  imminent 
danger  of  foundering.  The  sea  swept  over 
the  decks  and  carried  away  much  of  the  live 
stock  on  board,  and  the  captain  said  that  at 
one  time  he  feared  he  should  be  obliged  to 
cut  away  the  upper  deck,  on  which  was  our 
stateroom.  But  our  stout  ship  weathered  the 
storm  and  carried  us  safely  through  to  Pan- 
ama. On  reaching  home  we  were  warmly 
welcomed  by  our  church  and  congregation, 
and  I  settled  down  again  to  my  work. 


THE    IMPORTANCE   OF    THE    PACIFIC    COAST     l6l 

Thus  ended  one  of  the  most  enjoyable,  if 
not  the  most  useful,  seasons  of  my  life.  I 
hope  I  did  some  good  while  in  California,  and 
I  am  sure  I  derived  much  personal  benefit 
from  my  visit.  When  a  few  years  subse- 
quently I  visited  Europe,  I  was  thankful  that 
I  had  seen  the  wonders  of  California.  It  is 
related  of  the  celebrated  Robert  Hall,  the 
eloquent  English  Baptist  preacher,  that  he 
\vas  once  visited  by  an  American,  and  it  came 
out  in  conversation  that  he  (the  visitor)  had 
never  seen  Niagara  Falls.  So  astonished 
and  disgusted  was  Mr.  Hall  to  learn  the  fact 
that  a  man  should  go  abroad  without  having 
seen  such  a  wonder  in  his  own  land,  that  he 
turned  away  and  would  have  nothing  more  to 
do  with  him.  And  so  I  felt,  when  abroad, 
that  I  should  have  been  ashamed  if  I  had  not 
seen  this  part  of  my  own  country  before  cross- 
ing the  Atlantic  to  see  other  lands.  And  I 
remember  that  when  Rev.  Dr.  J.  P.  Thompson 
of  New  York  gave  me  a  letter  of  introduction  to 
ministers  in  London,  I  was  surprised  to  find 
that  he  mentioned  particularly  that  I  had  vis- 
ited California,  which  he  probably  thought 
would  help  to  recommend  me  to  their  regard. 

After  my  return  home  I  never  lost  my 
interest  in  the  state,  and  always  hoped  some 


1 62          RECOLLECTIONS    OF   A    NONAGENARIAN 

time  to  make  my  residence  there.  I  was  glad, 
then,  when  the  way  opened  for  my  return, 
and  I  am  thankful  that  it  has  fallen  to  my  lot 
to  spend  my  last  days  in  its  genial  clime  and 
to  be  associated  with  so  excellent  and  sympa- 
thetic a  band  of  ministerial  brethren  as  are 
here  to  be  found.  It  is  a  privilege  to  lend 
what  little  aid  I  can  towards  building  up  the 
kingdom  of  God  in  the  Empire  State  of  the 
West. 

How  little  conception  there  is  not  only 
among  us,  but  in  our  country  at  large,  of  the 
vast  future  that  is  in  store  for  the  regions 
bordering  on  the  Pacific  Ocean !  In  1852 
William  H.  Seward  in  a  speech  in  the  United 
States  Senate  uttered  this  prophecy  : 

Henceforth  European  commerce,  European  politics, 
European  thought,  and  European  activity,  although  actu- 
ally becoming  more  intimate,  will,  nevertheless,  sink 
relatively  in  importance ;  while  the  Pacific  Ocean,  its 
shores,  its  islands,  and  the  regions  beyond  will  become 
the  chief  theatre  of  events  in  the  world's  great  hereafter. 

Taking  this  for  his  text,  Mr.  Thurston, 
Hawaiian  minister  to  the  United  States,  pub- 
lished in  the  North  American  Review  a  most 
able  and  interesting  article  in  which  he  cor- 
roborates Mr.  Seward's  prediction  by  point- 
ing out  the  vast  prospective  importance  of  all 


THE  IMPORTANCE  OF  THE  PACIFIC  COAST    163 

the  countries  in  and  around  the  Pacific, 
Australia,  Japan,  China,  Siberia,  the  multi- 
tude of  the  islands  which  have  been  appropri- 
ated by  European  powers  and  their  various 
resources,  Mexico,  Central  America,  and  the 
Western  South  American  countries,  with  the 
western  slope  of  our  own  land  and  British 
Columbia.  He  especially  enumerates  the 
vast  resources  of  California  and  closes  with 
these  words  : 

Prophesying  is  a  dangerous  and  uncertain  business,  but 
it  seems  altogether  probable  that  within  ten  or  fifteen 
years  the  railroad  across  vast,  and  as  yet  undeveloped, 
Siberia,  from  St.  Petersburg  to  Vladivostok,  will  have  been 
completed,  and  that  lines  of  steamships  will  radiate  from 
the  latter  place  to  Vancouver.  San  Francisco,  the  Nica- 
ragua canal,  Australia,  and  the  other  southern  colonies. 
The  railroad  system  of  the  United  States  will  have  been 
extended  to  Alaska  on  the  north  and  Chile  on  the  south. 
The  Nicaragua  canal  will  have  been  completed,  and  a 
large  portion  of  the  enormous  commerce  that  now  pours 
through  the  Suez  canal  will  have  been  diverted  to  it. 
Honolulu  will  be  the  centre  of  a  cable  system  extending 
to  Tahiti,  Australia,  Japan,  Vancouver  and  San  Fran- 
cisco ;  while  between  all  the  main  ports  of  the  Pacific 
steamers  of  the  size  and  speed  of  those  plying  between 
New  York  and  Europe  will  be  in  use.  The  Pacific  has 
already  made  giant  strides  of  progress,  but  it  is  yet  only 
on  the  threshold  of  the  destiny  that  looms  before  it. 


164         RECOLLECTIONS    OF   A    NONAGENARIAN 

I  commend  this  article  to  all  who  feel  an  in- 
terest in  the  great  state  of  California,  and  the 
Pacific  coast  of  our  country.  Rev.  Dr.  Bar- 
rows said  at  New  Haven,  "To  the  west  of 
California  is  that  Asiatic  world  of  immeasur- 
able greatness  which,  when  awakened  out  of 
sleep,  will  combine  with  America  to  make 
the  Pacific  Ocean  the  chief  highway  of  the 
world's  commerce." 

On  our  way  out  to  San  Francisco,  we  had 
for  a  fellow-traveler  a  lady  from  New  York, 
with  two  very  bright  and  interesting  daugh- 
ters, one  four  and  a  half  years  of  age,  and 
the  other  six.  While  in  San  Francisco  the 
mother  died,  and,  as  we  had  become  much 
interested  in  the  children,  we  were  permitted 
to  adopt  them.  We  reared  and  educated 
them,  and  were  rewarded  by  seeing  them 
develop  into  fine  and  useful  women.  The 
elder  of  them  married  a  merchant  of  Stock- 
ton, California,  Mr.  E.  B.  Noble,  where  she 
now  resides  ;  the  other  became  the  wife  of  a 
gentleman  of  Minneapolis,  Minnesota,  Mr. 
W.  S.  Amsden,  where  she  subsequently  died. 
Both  early  became  Christians.  The  elder 
has  two  daughters,  and  the  other  left  two 
sons,  and  all  give  promise  of  being  useful 
members  of  society.  Never  was  a  mother 


ANTI-SLAVERY   AGITATION  165 

more  devoted  to,  and  faithful  in,  the  train- 
ing of  her  own  children  than  was  my  wife 
to  these,  our  adopted  daughters,  and  she 
regarded  this  as  a  very  important  part  of 
her  life-work. 

On  my  return  from  California,  I  resumed  my 
labors  at  Dubuque  at  a  period  of  great  ex- 
citement in  the  country,  just  preceding  the 
breaking  out  of  the  War  of  the  Rebellion.  I 
found  the  people  of  the  city  and  vicinity 
under  the  full  influence  of  that  excitement. 
The  city  and  county  formed  a  stronghold  of 
Democracy,  many  of  the  inhabitants  being 
from  the  South.  The  struggle  was  going 
on  between  the  Free-soilers  and  the  friends  of 
slavery  for  the  possession  of  Kansas  ;  Lin- 
coln and  Douglas  had  their  great  debate, 
and  the  forebodings  of  the  War  of  the  Rebel- 
lion were  in  the  air.  I  felt  called  on,  there- 
fore, to  bear  my  part  in  the  controversy  that 
was  shaking  the  country  from  end  to  end, 
and  accordingly  preached  many  sermons  on 
slavery  and  the  questions  at  issue  to  crowded 
audiences,  some  of  which  were  printed  and 
circulated. 

When  the  war  finally  broke  out,  I  advo- 
cated the  emancipation  of  the  slaves  and  the 
enlistment  of  colored  soldiers,  and  I  ad- 


1 66          RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A   NONAGENARIAN 

dressed  the  first  regiment  of  soldiers  who 
were  encamped  in  the  suburbs.  It  is,  I  may 
here  mention,  a  notable  fact,  unparalleled 
elsewhere,  that  Iowa  furnished  a  regiment 
called  "The  Gray  Beards,"  composed  of 
men  past  the  military  age.  A  member  of 
my  church  was  chosen  colonel,  and  they 
performed  garrison  duty,  and  thus  enabled 
younger  men  to  enter  the  field  for  active 
service.  It  was  said  that  my  pulpit  spoke 
with  no  uncertain  sound,  and  I  was  fully 
sustained  by  my  loyal  church.  It  is  to  the 
credit  of  the  state  of  Iowa  that  it  furnished 
its  full  quota  of  soldiers  for  the  war,  and 
never  faltered  or  wavered  in  the  support  of 
the  Federal  Union. 


CHAPTER  XX 

AGENCY     FOR       IOWA       COLLEGE DOCTORATE 

CONFERRED CALL       TO       THE       PASTORATE 

AT    HOMER 

At  length,  after  seven  years'  service  in  my 
second  pastorate  in  Dubuque,  occurred  an- 
other providential  interference  in  my  affairs. 
The  trustees  of  Iowa  College  found  it  neces- 
sary to  solicit  aid  for  that  institution,  which 
was  regarded  as  so  important  to  the  state, 
and  they  fixed  upon  me  as  the  proper  person 
to  visit  New  England  to  raise  the  modest  sum 
of  $2,000.  My  church  granted  me  leave  of 
absence  for  the  purpose,  and  regarding  it  as 
of  great  importance  that  this,  our  denomina- 
tional and  Christian  college  should  be  sus- 
tained, I  consented  to  undertake  the  task, 
and  soon  succeeded  in  securing  the  amount. 
My  success,  as  is  often  the  case,  stimulated 
the  trustees  to  enlarge  their  plan  and  in- 
crease the  amount  asked  for  to  $5,000,  and 
they  urged  me  to  continue  the  work  of  solici- 
tation. I  acceded  to  the  request,  and  was 
again  so  successful  that  the  duty  of  securing 
an  endowment  for  the  presidency  of  the  col- 
167 


1 68          RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

lege  was  laid  upon  me.  Rev.  G.  F.  Magoun 
had  been  elected  to  the  office,  but  he  declined 
to  enter  upon  its  duties  until  an  endowment 
was  obtained.  This  seemed  to  me  to  be  a 
plain  indication  of  Providence  that  I  should 
make  the  effort  to  obtain  it,  and  in  this  I  was 
confirmed  by  the  earnest  request  that  I  should 
do  so  by  the  secretary  of  the  college  society 
at  the  East,  Rev.  Theron  Baldwin,  D.  D., 
who  offered  the  endorsement  of  the  move- 
ment by  the  society,  which  was  afterwards 
given.  But  I  foresaw  that  considerable  time 
would  be  required  for  the  purpose,  and  I  felt 
that  my  church  would  suffer  if  left  pastorless 
so  long.  I  therefore  asked  to  be  released  from 
my  relation  to  it,  and  a  council  was  called, 
which  recommended  my  dismissal  to  under- 
take the  work.  The  church  acquiesced,  and 
I  removed,  with  my  family,  to  Boston. 

I  felt  that  I  was  entering  upon  a  laborious 
and  uninviting  task,  but  I  was  convinced  of 
its  great  importance,  and  that  I  was  called  to 
it,  not  only  by  my  brethren,  but  also  by  the 
voice  of  God.  I  began  my  work  in  Boston, 
and  in  its  prosecution  visited  most  of  the  lead- 
ing churches  in  eastern  Massachusetts,  in 
Connecticut,  in  Providence,  Rhode  Island, 
and  some  in  Maine,  and  was  everywhere 


AGENCY  FOR  IOWA  COLLEGE         169 

welcomed  to  the  Congregational  pulpits,  and 
encouraged  with  liberal  subscriptions.  One 
or  two  incidents  which  occurred  in  my  expe- 
rience are  of  interest,  and  may  be  recorded. 

There  was  a  benevolent  leather  merchant 
in  Boston  who  took  great  interest  in  my 
mission,  and  subscribed  $500.  Some  time 
afterwards  I  was  passing  his  store,  and  he 
was  standing  in  the  doorway.  He  called  me 
into  his  counting-room,  and  asked  to  see  my 
subscription  book.  I  handed  it  to  him,  when 
he  remarked:  "I  have  lately  met  with  a 
heavy  pecuniary  loss,  and  I  have  been 
thinking  that  it  is  a  providential  indication 
that  I  have  not  been  giving  enough,"  and 
thereupon  sat  down  at  his  desk  and  changed 
the  figures  of  his  subscription  from  $500  to 
$1,000.  Was  not  this  correct  reasoning,  and 
was  it  not  an  example  worthy  of  considera- 
tion by  other  business  men? 

I  was  aware  that  Mr.  Samuel  Williston,  of 
Easthampton,  Mass.,  was  a  very  benevolent 
man,  that  he  had  given  liberally  to  Am- 
herst  college,  and  that  he  preferred  to  select 
some  one  or  more  important  objects  to  which 
to  confine  his  gifts,  rather  than  to  scatter 
them  promiscuously  to  several.  Accordingly, 
I  visited  his  place  of  residence,  and  on  Sat- 


170          RECOLLECTIONS    OF   A    NONAGENARIAN 

urday  called  on  the  pastor  of  his  church  and 
told  him  my  errand,  and  asked  the  use  of  his 
pulpit  on  the  Sabbath,  to  present  my  object. 
He  very  cordially  acceded  to  my  request, 
and  I  addressed  his  congregation,  Mr.  Wil- 
liston  being  present.  At  the  close  of  the 
service  Mr.  Williston  invited  me  to  spend  the 
evening  at  his  house,  as  he  wished  to  make 
some  inquiries  in  regard  to  my  object,  and  I 
accordingly  did  so.  His  pastor,  in  a  talk  I 
had  with  him  the  day  before,  had  advised 
me  not  to  ask  Mr.  Williston  for  any  small 
sum,  as,  if  I  did  so,  he  would  very  likely  be 
disposed  not  to  give  much  attention  to  the 
subject.  I  therefore  decided  that  I  would  ask 
Mr.  Williston  to  endow  the  presidency  of  the 
college,  which  had  been  fixed  at  $50,000. 

I  spent  the  evening  very  pleasantly  with 
him  and  his  wife,  who  was  in  entire  sym- 
pathy with  him  in  his  benevolent  operations. 
I  answered  their  inquiries  as  to  the  im- 
portance and  prospects  of  the  college,  and 
suggested  that,  if  he  were  so  disposed,  it 
would  be  a  most  worthy  opportunity  for  him 
to  exercise  his  benevolence  by  endowing  the 
chair  of  the  presidency.  He,  however,  made 
no  definite  reply,  but  said  he  was  going  the 
next  morning  to  Northampton,  and  invited 


DOCTORATE   CONFERRED  171 

me  to  take  a  seat  with  him  in  his  chaise,  and 
then  he  would  tell  me  what  he  would  do. 
The  next  morning  he  called  for  me,  and  we 
set  out.  During  the  ride,  he  said  he  had 
considered  the  matter,  and  had  decided  to 
give  me  his  note  for  $10,000,  as  he  had  not 
the  money  just  then  at  command,  and  that 
he  would  add  $10,000  more  at  a  subsequent 
time.  He  gave  me  his  note,  and  it  was  paid 
not  long  after,  with  the  other  $10,000.  A 
year  or  two  afterwards  he  added  $8,500  more 
to  complete  the  endowment  of  the  presidency 
of  the  college,  I  having  collected  enough 
from  other  sources  to  make  up  the  balance. 
I  hold  the  receipt  of  the  treasurer  for  $42,- 
500,  remitted  by  me,  including  the  $20,000 
from  Mr.  Williston.  Thus  I  fulfilled  my  mis- 
sion for  the  college,  and  virtually  secured, 
in  fact,  the  whole  sum  which  I  was  expected 
to  raise. 

While  engaged  in  this  work,  quite  unex- 
pectedly to  me,  it  was  announced  that  Wil- 
liams college,  then  under  the  presidency  of 
Dr.  Mark  Hopkins,  had  bestowed  on  me  the 
honorary  degree  of  Doctor  of  Divinity,  and 
soon  I  was  officially  notified  of  the  fact. 
This  I  did  not  suppose  was  done  with  the 
idea  that  I  was  a  profound  theologian,  for  I 


172          RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

made  no  pretensions  to  be  that,  but  as  a 
recognition  of  the  fact  that  I  was  a  devoted 
pastor,  and  earnestly  endeavoring  to  dis- 
charge faithfully  the  duties  of  that  office,  in 
virtue  of  which  I  was,  actually,  a  Doctor 
Divinitatis,  that  is,  a  teacher  of  divine  truth. 
I  did  not  decline  the  honor.  Had  I  done  so, 
it  seems  to  me  it  would  have  savored  of  con- 
ceit, and  manifested  a  desire  to  distinguish 
myself  from  the  great  number  of  those  who 
had  accepted  it  before  me. 

While  prosecuting  my  mission  for  the  col- 
lege, I  received  an  invitation  to  supply  the 
pulpit  of  the  Congregational  church,  in 
Homer,  New  York,  and  to  present  my  appeal 
for  the  institution.  I  did  so,  and  preached 
twice  on  the  Sabbath.  After  services,  I  was 
requested  to  remain  over  the  next  day  to  meet 
the  trustees  and  deacons  of  the  church  and 
society,  in  the  evening.  I  did  so,  and  was 
then  asked  if  I  would  accept  a  call  to  the  pas- 
torate. I  replied  that  I  would,  provided  I 
might  have  two  or  three  months  to  finish  my 
work  for  the  college.  This  was  assented  to, 
and  I  at  once  removed  my  family  there,  and 
was  subsequently  installed  in  office  by  an 
ecclesiastical  council,  after  accomplishing  my 
mission  in  behalf  of  the  college. 


CHAPTER  XXI 

THE     CONGREGATIONAL     CHURCH     AT    HOMER, 
N.    Y. LABORS    THERE A     NEW    MISSION 

The  Congregational  church  of  Homer  has 
had  a  remarkable  history.  It  is  one  of  the 
oldest,  if  not  the  oldest,  of  the  order  in  the 
state  of  New  York.  The  first  settlers  of  the 
town  were  from  Massachusetts  and  Connecti- 
cut, in  1793,  and  they  brought  with  them  the 
habits  and  opinions  prevailing  in  those  states. 
At  first  there  were  but  six  families,  but  they 
established  public  worship  on  the  first  Sab- 
bath, and  it  is  said,  on  good  authority,  that 
there  has  never  been  an  omission  of  the  ser- 
vice to  this  day.  In  early  days  central  New 
York  was  to  a  great  extent  godless,  intemper- 
ate, and  schoolless,  and  it  was  a  common  say- 
ing to  new  immigrants,  "  If  you  wish  to  settle 
among  religionists,  go  to  Homer."  The 
church  was  organized  soon  after  the  opening 
of  this  century,  and  when  I  became  its  pastor 
was  one  of  the  largest  churches  in  the  state 
outside  of  New  York  and  Brooklyn,  and  had 
a  fine  brick  house  of  worship.  The  place  had 
173 


174         RECOLLECTIONS   OF   A    NONAGENARIAN 

ever  been  noted  for  its  moral,  religious,  and 
material  prosperity. 

At  an  early  day  an  academy  was  established 
in  the  village,  largely  by  the  influence  of 
members  of  this  church,  which  has  always 
maintained  a  high  character,  and  of  which 

O  7 

Samuel  Woolworth,  LL.  D.,  afterwards  Sec- 
retary of  the  Board  of  Regents  of  New  York, 
was  for  many  years  principal.  For  a  long 
period,  students  resorted  to  this  institution 
from  all  parts  of  western  and  central  New 
York,  and  some  of  the  most  eminent  men  in 
the  ministry  of  the  Congregational  and  Pres- 
byterian denominations,  as  well  as  others  of 
high  position  in  political  life,  are  among  the 
alumni  of  this  school.  There  were  at  one 
time  four  United  States  Senators  who  had 
been  in  part  educated  here.  It  has  always 
been  under  a  strongly  evangelical  religious 
influence.  The  town  has  been  favored  with 
many  revivals  of  religion  and  the  people  have 
been  more  than  ordinarily  intelligent,  as  well 
as  moral. 

One  incident  in  the  early  history  of  the 
church  is  worth  recording,  and  I  give  it  as 
stated  in  a  letter  to  me  from  the  Rev.  D. 
Platt,  for  nine  years  one  of  its  pastors.  "A 
mutual  council  had  been  called  to  settle  some 


CONGREGATIONAL  CHURCH  AT  HOMER    175 

difficulties  between  the  pastor  and  some  of  his 
people.  On  assembling,  a  file  of  papers  was 
presented,  containing  certain  charges  against 
the  pastor,  Rev.  Mr.  Walker.  He  declared 
that  this  was  irregular,  as  he  had  not  been 
duly  notified,  nor  had  the  proper  steps  been 
taken  in  private  with  him  ;  and,  moreover,  he 
said  he  was  a  member  of  the  presbytery  and 
could  only  be  tried  by  that  body.  The  coun- 
cil decided  that  they  could  not  do  anything 
ecclesiastically  in  the  case.  A  dead  silence 
then  followed  of  long  and  painful  duration. 
The  church  was  in  a  fearful  dilemma.  No 
one  could  imagine  what  the  consequences 
might  be  if  the  matter  should  be  left  in  that 
position.  To  all  human  appearance,  the 
church  must  be  rent  in  twain,  if  not  totally 
ruined,  by  a  protracted  controversy.  At 
length,  Mr.  Lansing,  of  Auburn  (he  was  not 
then  a  D.  D.),  stood  up,  and  pulling  oft'  his 
greatcoat  very  deliberately  said  :  '  Though 
we  have  nothing  to  do  as  an  ecclesiastical 
council,  we  have  something  to  do  as  Christian 
brethren,  to  save  this  church  from  distraction, 
and  save  the  souls  of  the  people  in  this  place 
from  being  ruined  by  the  quarrels  of  church- 
members.'  He  then  proceeded,  in  strains  of 
burning  eloquence,  to  show  what  would  be 


176  RECOLLECTIONS    OF   A    NONAGENARIAN 

the  effect  on  the  destiny  of  immortal  souls,  of 
the  continuance  of  this  quarrel  in  the  church  ; 
and  made  an  appeal  to  the  disaffected  breth- 
ren, which  all  who  ever  heard  the  man  can 
well  imagine  must  have  been  irresistible.  He 
was  followed  by  other  members  of  the  council, 
who,  in  words  of  pathetic  tenderness,  urged 
the  settlement  of  the  difficulty  by  mutual  con- 
fession and  mutual  forgiveness.  And  then 
they  united  in  earnest  prayer  for  the  Spirit  of 
God  to  move  on  the  hearts  of  these  brethren, 
and  bring  them  together.  The  Spirit  was 
manifestly  present ;  all  were  tenderly  affected, 
and  many  were  in  tears.  Mr.  Walker  made 
a  few  remarks,  indicating  a  kind  and  forgiv- 
ing spirit,  and  making  such  confessions  as  a 
good  man  may  always  make,  without  admit- 
ting at  all  the  charges  preferred  against  him. 
"  His  accusers  were  pricked  in  their  hearts, 
and  began  to  confess,  each  for  himself,  that 
he  was  wrong,  and  to  take  back  all  that  he 
had  said  against  the  pastor.  Finally,  the 
principal  accuser  (I  knew  him  well;  he 
a  good  man,  though  very  impulsive  and  head- 
strong at  times)  came  forward,  and  put  all  his 
papers  in  the  fire ;  then  fell  on  his  knees 
before  his  injured  pastor,  and  begged  his  for- 
giveness, acknowledging  that  he  had  slan- 


LABORS   THERE  I  77 

dered  and  abused  him  without  any  just  cause 
or  provocation.  The  friends  of  Mr.  Walker 
now  began  to  feel  twinges  of  conscience.  So 
they  began  to  make  confessions,  and  to  ask 
forgiveness,  till  finally  there  was  not  a  mem- 
ber of  the  church  but  had  some  confession  to 
make  for  himself,  and  some  word  of  kindness 
and  forgiveness* towards  his  erring  brethren. 
"  Thus  the  work  went  on  for  several  hours. 
Meantime,  the  people  outside  were  waiting  to 
be  called  in  to  hear  the  results.  It  was  grow- 
ing late  in  the  afternoon.  In  their  anxiety, 
two  or  three  volunteered  to  go  into  the  upper 
room,  where  the  council  sat,  promising  to 
come  back  and  report,  but  they  did  not  come. 
And  finally  the  whole  company  were  crowded 
into  that  little  chamber,  awestruck  and  spell- 
bound at  what  they  saw  and  heard.  The 
meeting  was  continued  through  the  whole 
afternoon,  and  far  into  the  evening,  and 
ended  in  the  complete  settlement  of  all  their 
difficulties,  and  the  united  action  of  the 
church  in  labors  and  prayers  for  a  revival. 
Indeed,  there  was  a  revival  already  com- 
menced, both  in  the  church  and  out  of  it. 
Many  careless  sinners  who  went  into  the 
room  to  see  what  was  going  on  among  Chris- 
tians went  home  to  weep  and  pray  for  them- 


178          RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

selves.  A  work  of  grace,  the  fruits  of  which 
were  felt  for  a  whole  generation,  had  its  com- 
mencement in  the  efforts  of  that  council  to 
settle  difficulties  by  inducing  mutual  confes- 
sion and  mutual  forgiveness.  Mr.  Walker 
prosecuted  his  labors  with  renewed  energy 
and  with  great  success,  having  the  hearts  of 
all  the  people  with  him  ;  but  in  the  midst  of 
his  work  he  was  called  to  his  rest,  leaving 
others  to  gather  in  the  harvest. 

"  I  believe  the  church  in  Homer  has  never 
since  had  occasion  to  call  a  council  for  any 
such  purpose.  The  remembrance  of  this  one 
council  and  its  results  has  always  sufficed  to 
direct  the  labors  of  pastors  and  brethren,  and 
bring  the  church  together  again,  even  when 
sorely  tried  by  internal  dissensions." 

This  is  an  illustration  of  the  excellency  of 
the  Congregational  plan  for  mutual  councils 
for  advice.  The  parties  calling  this  one  all 
supposed  it  could  act  by  authority,  but  in  the 
absence  of  power  accomplished  the  desired 
end  by  advice  and  prayer. 

In  1804  the  church  was  connected  with  the 
Middle  Association,  but  in  1808  it  connected 
itself  with  the  Albany  Presbyterian  Synod, 
on  the  old  plan  of  union.  But  soon  after  I 
became  its  pastor  the  General  Assembly  of 


A    NEW    MISSION  179 

the  Presbyterian  church  passed  an  ordinance 
requiring  all  such  churches  to  perfect  their 
organization  by  electing  ruling  elders,  and 
becoming,  in  fact,  Presbyterian.  To  this,  the 
Homer  church,  and  some  others  like  it,  de- 
murred and  withdrew  from  presbytery  and 
united  with  associations  soon  after  formed, 
that  with  which  the  Homer  church  connected 
itself  being  the  Central,  covering  the  ground 
from  Syracuse  on  the  north  to  Broome  county 
on  the  south,  and  the  vicinity  on  each  side. 
This  was  the  beginning  of  a  movement  which 
materially  changed  the  ecclesiastical  aspect 
of  the  interior  of  the  state,  and  gave  a  new 
impulse  to  Congregationalism,  making  the 
denomination  an  independent  body. 

During  my  pastorate  at  Homer  I  was  called 
to  another  important  service,  one  of  the  most 
important  of  my  life.  It  was  about  the  close 
of  the  War  of  the  Rebellion,  during  which 
some  three  million  slaves  in  the  Southern 
states  had  been  emancipated.  The  Ameri- 
can Missionary  Association,  in  New  York, 
had  entered  upon  its  great  work  of  educating 
and  evangelizing  this  vast  body  of  freedmen, 
and  had  sent  two  agents  to  England  to  solicit 
pecuniary  aid  in  its  work,  and  there  was  de- 
veloped there  much  interest  in  behalf  of  the 


l8o          RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

freedmen.  Those  who  had  been  laboring  in 
England  for  the  Association  were  about  to 
discontinue  the  work,  and  I  was  solicited,  by 
the  Association,  to  represent  it  there,  and  con- 
tinue it.  They  asked  my  church  to  grant  me 
leave  of  absence  for  several  months  to  under- 
take the  mission.  The  request  was  granted, 
and  I  was  quite  willing  to  enter  upon  it, 
partly  because  of  my  great  interest  in  the 
freedmen's  cause,  and  partly  because  it  would 
enable  me  to  see  the  Old  World. 


CHAPTER    XXII 

MISSION  TO  GREAT    BRITAIN    IN    BEHALF  OF 

THE   SOUTHERN    FREEDMEN A  FEW  DAYS 

IN    LONDON — FREEDMEN'S    AID    SOCIETY — 
MEETINGS    AT    HEREFORD  AND    IN    SOUTH 

WALES 

• 

I  at  once  made  arrangements  to  enter  upon 
the  work,  and  proceeded  to  New  York, 
where  I  received  my  commission  and  in- 
structions. After  a  pleasant  passage  by 
steamer  I  arrived  in  Liverpool,  and,  after 
a  short  excursion  with  a  family  belonging  to 
my  church  to  Warwick  Castle  and  Kenil- 
worth,  I  hastened  to  Bristol,  where  the  Con- 
gregational Union  of  England  and  Wales 
was  to  meet,  and  was  entertained  by  the 
United  States  consul,  whom  I  had  known  in 
Chicago  as  a  member  of  the  First  Church, 
and  an  earnest  anti-slavery  man.  There  I 
spoke  for  the  first  time  at  a  freedmen's  meet- 
ing, and  had  an  opportunity  to  witness  the 
English  mode  of  conducting  public  meetings, 
and  also  to  attend  the  sessions  of  the  Congre- 
gational Union. 

From  Bristol  I  went  to  London  to  report 

181 


1 82          RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

myself  to  the  Freedmen's  Aid  Society,  which 
was  cooperating  with  our  American  Mission- 
ary Association,  which  I  was  to  represent. 

I  found  the  Quakers,  or  Friends,  in  Eng- 
land were  heartily  engaged  in  the  freedmen's 
work,  led  by  two  prominent  men  of  that  de- 
nomination, in  Birmingham,  with  whom  I 
was  afterwards  associated  for  a  time.  I  was 
duly  recognized,  and  commissioned  to  oper- 
ate under  the  auspices  of  the  Freedmen's  Aid 
Society,  and  arrangements  were  speedily 
made  for  me  to  begin  work.  At  first,  I 
was  with  the  two  Quaker  gentlemen  already 
mentioned.  They  had  a  secretary,  a  Bap- 
tist minister,  who  was  to  arrange  for  meetings, 
and  introduce  me  where  they  were  to  be  held. 
I  was  to  have  no  responsibility,  except  to 
address  the  meetings  and  advocate  the  cause 
of  the  freedmen.  It  was  the  custom,  I  found, 
to  engage  some  nobleman  or  other  promi- 
nent man  to  preside  as  chairman,  and  nothing 
could  be  done  without  some  such  individual  to 
sanction  and  give  importance  to  the  gather- 
ing. 

I  had  no  appointment  to  speak  on  my  first 
Sabbath  in  London,  but  it  was  a  busy  day  for 
me.  In  the  forenoon  I  attended  Mr.  Spur- 
geon's  service  in  his  chapel,  and  after  it  was 


MISSION    TO   GREAT    BRITAIN  183 

invited  into  his  study  for  a  brief  conference. 
In  the  afternoon  I  heard  Dean  Stanley's 
funeral  discourse,  in  Westminster  Abbey,  on 
the  premier,  Lord  Palmerston,  who  had  just 
died.  In  the  evening  I  heard  the  celebrated 
Dr.  Cummings  preach. 

Perhaps  I  can  give  no  better  idea  of  my 
work,  while  engaged  in  my  mission  to  Great 
Britain,  than  by  making  extracts  from  letters 
written  to  my  wife,  which,  fortunately,  were 
carefully  preserved  by  her,  and  are  now  be- 
fore me.  These  letters  formed  an  itinerary 
of  my  movements.  I  also  wrote  quite  a  num- 
ber of  letters  to  the  New  York  Independent, 
the  Boston  Congregationalist,  and  a  series 
to  the  Boston  Recorder,  all  of  which  were 
published.  The  editor  of  the  Recorder  wrote 
me  that  those  to  his  paper  were  highly  appre- 
ciated. 

LONDON,  Nov.  i,  1865. 

Dr.  H.  M.  Storrs,  who  has  been  speaking 
for  the  freedmen,  goes  home  on  Saturday, 
and  Mr.  Martin,  who  has  also  done  so,  will 
follow  the  next  week,  and  so  I  shall  be  the 
only  American  at  work  for  the  freedmen, 
except,  perhaps,  Rev.  Mr.  Channing,  of  Bos- 
ton, who  may  speak  a  few  times.  I  have  been 
very  busy  during  the  week  with  the  Freed- 


184         RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

men's  Aid  Society,  but  it  is  slow  doing  any- 
thing here,  they  are  so  formal.  I  expect  to 
begin  active  operations  next  week,  and  then  I 
shall  find  enough  to  do.  While  waiting  here, 
I  have  been  seeing  some  of  the  sights  of  the 
great  city ;  have  passed  through  the  tunnel 
under  the  Thames ;  visited  the  Tower,  the 
Exchange,  the  Bank  of  England,  one  of  the 
vast  breweries,  where  there  will  be  on  hand  in 
the  spring  twelve  million  gallons  of  porter 
and  ale,  and  have  been  to  St.  James  and 
Hyde  parks,  and  the  Billingsgate  market. 
To-day  I  go  to  the  Parliament  House  and 
Westminster  Abbey.  Last  night  I  received  a 
ticket  to  a  grand  supper  in  the  Mansion 
House,  for  the  Lord  Mayor,  and  attended. 

NEWPORT,  WALES,  Nov.  12. 
The  first  series  of  meetings  for  me  to  attend 
was  arranged  for  in  South  Wales,  beginning 
at  Hereford  on  the  border.  There  I  saw  the 
first  of  the  great  cathedrals,  after  St.  Paul's 
in  London.  It  is  a  grand  edifice,  and  has  the 
finest  altar  scene  in  Great  Britain,  and  some 
of  the  statuary  is  superior.  We  had  an  after- 
noon and  evening  meeting  for  the  freedmen, 
at  both  of  which  I  spoke,  and  much  sympa- 
thy was  manifested,  and  £250  were  raised. 


MISSION    TO    GREAT    BRITAIN  185 

Lord  Gage  and  Seal,  the  dean,  and  others  of 
the  clergy  contributed.  The  vicar  of  St. 
Peter's  presided  in  the  evening,  and  made  a 
good  speech.  The  next  day  we  came  to 
Newport,  and  had  a  successful  meeting,  the 
mayor  in  the  chair.  Then  we  penetrated 
South  Wales  to  the  considerable  town  of 
Neath,  where  we  had  a  still  more  successful 
meeting.  The  next  was  at  Swansea.  Re- 
turning to  Newport,  I  preached  here  twice,  to 
full  houses,  on  the  Sabbath,  for  the  freedmen. 
We  find  the  people  very  kind  and  hospitable, 
and  the  Friends  especially  interested.  The 
scenery  of  the  region  is  very  fine.  I  felt 
quite  at  home  in  the  pulpit  on  the  Sabbath, 
the  services  being  like  our  own,  except  that  a 
deacon  sat  under  the  pulpit  and  gave  out  the 
hymns  and  notices. 

As  there  was  to  be  no  meeting  Monday 
evening,  I  spent  the  day  most  delightful^  in 
sight-seeing,  with  a  lady  friend.  It  would 
astonish  you  to  see  how  English  ladies  can 
walk  and  climb  stiles.  Walking  three  miles, 
we  reached  Caerleon,a  large  village,  once  the 
metropolis  of  Wales,  and  second  only  to 
London  in  importance.  It  was  a  walled  city, 
several  miles  in  circumference.  Here  King 
Arthur  had  his  "  Round  Table,"  and  this  was 


1 86  RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

the  scene  of  Tennyson's  "  Idylls  of  the  King." 
In  the  museum  is  a  book  for  recording  visitors' 
names,  and  there  I  saw  Tennyson's  auto- 
graph, dated  1856.  I  stood  on  the  very 
mound  where  he  represents"  the  queen  as 
standing,  looking  out  for  the  hunters.  On  a 
high  eminence  near  stands  an  old  church, 
built  in  1113,  and  from  the  top  of  the  tower 
there  is  a  glorious  view. 

Sixteen  miles  distant  is  the  Caerphilly 
Castle,  said  to  have  been  the  largest  in  Great 
Britain.  The  walls  were  three  miles  in 
circumference,  and  the  castle  of  immense 
strength.  There  was  a  round  tower  at  each 
angle,  and  there  is  now  a  veritable  leaning 
tower  of  great  height,  inclining  eleven  feet 
from  the  perpendicular.  The  grand  hall  was 
seventy  feet  by  forty,  and  seventeen  high, 
with  two  noble  long  windows,  and  a  fireplace 
nine  feet  wide.  The  date  of  it  is  lost  in  the 
uncertainties  of  the  past.  I  wandered  about 
in  its  towers  and  vaulted  passages,  and 
through  its  open  area  till  I  was  wearied  and 
almost  lost.  In  a  museum  is  a  fine  collection 
of  Roman  antiquities,  which  have  been  exca- 
vated— coins  in  good  preservation,  of  various 
dates,  from  A.  D.  55  to  300,  vases,  urns,  im- 
plements, lamps,  earrings,  studs,  buckles, 


IN    SOUTH    WALES  187 

statues,  and  memorial  stones  whose  inscrip- 
tions are  still  legible.  Returning  here  (New- 
port) I  found,  on  retiring  for  the  night,  that 
I  was  almost  too  tired  and  excited  by  the 
scenes  of  the  day  to  sleep. 

The  next  morning  I  again  took  the  rail  in 
another  direction,  sixteen  miles  to  Chepstow, 
for  sixteen  pence,  for  a  visit  to  the  far-famed 
Tin  tern  Abbey.  Reaching  Chepstow,  we 
took  a  cab  and  rode  up  the  romantic  valley 
or  gorge  through  which  flows  the  Wye,  pass- 
ing the  Chepstow  castle,  crowning  a  high 
cliff  near  the  town,  and  Wind  Cliff",  an  eleva- 
tion of  nine  hundred  feet,  from  which  is  a 
view  that  extends  to  nine  counties.  After  a 
ride  of  five  miles,  we  came  in  sight  of  the 
ruins  of  the  Abbey.  They  are  situated  im- 
mediately on  the  bank  of  the  Wye,  a  high 
bluff"  rising  precipitously  from  the  opposite 
shore,  while  a  beautiful  meadow  skirts  the 
river  on  the  side  on  which  the  Abbey  stands. 
Nothing  can  surpass  the  picturesqueness  of 
the  first  sight  of  the  ruins,  but  you  get  no  just 
conception  of  their  extent  until  the  front  door 
is  opened,  and  you  gaze  in  and  are  filled  with 
admiration  and  astonishment.  It  was,  appar- 
ently, as  large  as  Westminster  Abbey,  and 
even  more  magnificent  as  a  work  of  art. 


1 88          RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

The  columns,  arches  and  windows  are  in  a 
good  state  of  preservation,  and  are  exquisite 
in  their  construction.  Heavy  masses  of  ivy 
hang  on  the  walls,  and  the  jackdaws  almost 
craze  you  with  their  chatterings.  You  ascend 
a  flight  of  stone  steps  and  walk  along  the 
walls  and  look  down  nearly  one  hundred  feet 
into  the  interior,  and  are  amazed  at  its  vast 
extent  and  height.  Behind  it  are  the  clois- 
ters, the  refectory,  the  sacristy  and  the  hos- 
pice. The  architecture  is  pure  Gothic.  It 
was  founded  in  1131  for  Cistercian  monks. 
How  great  must  have  been  their  number  to 
have  required  such  a  place  of  worship  and 
residence  !  The  following  extract  is  truthful, 
as  I  can  testify  : 

Its  pointed  arches  of  fairy  lightness,  covered  with  ivy, 
rising  in  the  centre  of  a  sylvan  valley,  with  the  classic 
Wye  wending  its  course  by  its  side,  is  a  sight  which 
strikes  the  beholder  with  amazement.  On  entering  the 
sacred  edifice,  a  sudden  awe  thrills  through  the  mind  at 
the  solemn  stillness  which  pervades  the  place. 

Relic  of  by-gone  days  and  noble  arts, 
Despoiled,  yet  perfect,  within  thy  circle  spreads 
A  holiness  appealing  to  all  hearts. 

Monkish  tombstones  and  mutilated  figures 
are  deposited  about  the  walls.  The  old 


IN    SOUTH    WALES  189 

keeper,  on  learning  that  I  was  an  American, 
said  that  great  numbers  of  my  countrymen 
had  visited  the  Abbey,  and  among  the  rest 
he  remembered  Daniel  Webster  particularly. 
I  wish  I  could  convey  some  idea  of  the  over- 
whelming beauty  of  this  picturesque  ruin, 
unsurpassed  in  the  kingdom,  but  I  cannot. 
I  have  secured  a  series  of  stereoscopic  views 
which  will  afford  my  friends  on  my  return 
home  some  faint  idea  of  this  striking  and 
beautiful  object. 

MERTHYR-TYDVIL,  WALES. 

At  this  place  I  addressed  a  freedmen's 
meeting,  and  am  beginning  to  get  accustomed 
to  the  habits  of  the  people,  and  their  mode  of 
conducting  such  assemblies.  1  am  told  that 
my  addresses  are  impressive,  and  certainly 
they  are  well  received  and  liberally  re- 
sponded to.  I  speak  to-night  at  Aberdare, 
and  to-morrow  evening  at  Abergavenny.  I 
am  meeting  with  good  success,  and  certainly 
am  enjoying  myself  hugely. 

Few  Americans  visit  this  region  of  Wales, 
which  is  rich  in  castles,  and  was  the  last 
stronghold  of  the  ancient  Britons,  who  were 
conquered  by  the  Romans.  Cromwell  also 
once  fought  in  this  part  of  Wales.  I  enjoy 
uncommon  advantages  for  seeing  the  seen- 


1 90          RECOLLECTIONS    OF   A    NONAGENARIAN 

ery  and  objects  of  interest,  as  well  as  the 
people. 

The  scenery  of  Wales  is,  as  you  know, 
very  fine.  On  one  of  the  railways,  I  passed 
through  a  tunnel,  two  and  a  half  miles  long, 
through  the  mountain,  from  one  valley  to  an- 
other, and  on  another  road  I  crossed  a  via- 
duct two  hundred  and  ten  feet  high,  from  the 
summit  of  one  mountain  to  another,  and  of 
great  length.  It  was  fearful  to  look  down 
from  the  train  upon  a  town  below,  in  whose 
streets  men  seemed  like  pigmies. 

The  Welsh  are  a  very  religious  people,  and 
churches  and  chapels  abound  everywhere. 
The  latter  are  occupied  by  dissenters,  who  far 
outnumber  the  churchmen.  The  Congrega- 
tionalists,  or,  as  they  are  called  in  Great 
Britain,  the  Independents,  I  am  told,  are  the 
most  numerous  here,  although  there  are  many 
Baptists  and  Methodists.  At  one  meeting 
we  had  a  fine  specimen  of  Welsh  fire  and 
eloquence  on  the  part  of  an  Independent  min- 
ister, who  spoke  in  Welsh.  I  find  every- 
where, in  all  denominations,  a  deep  interest 
manifested  for  our  emancipated  negroes,  and 
a  readiness  to  contribute  for  their  relief  and 
improvement.  We  usually  have  both  clergy- 
men and  ministers  on  the  platform,  and  often 


IN    SOUTH    WALES  igi 

one  of  the  former  presides.  The  Friends, 
or  Quakers,  are  very  zealous.  From  here  I 
shall  return  to  Birmingham,  where  they  are 
to  give  me  a  formal  reception  at  a  tea-meet- 
ing, in  the  English  style. 


CHAPTER   XXIII 

BIRMINGHAM A      QUAKER      MEETING      AND      A 

TEA-MEETING MANCHESTER — KENDAL 

BIRMINGHAM,  Nov.  20. 

The  Aid  Society  here  has  voted  to  remit  to 
New  York  £500,  which,  as  exchange  is  now 
very  high,  will  be  equivalent  to  $2,750  there 
as  part  of  the  avails-  of  my  meetings  in 
Wales.  So  you  see  I  am  not  running  our  As- 
sociation into  debt !  Last  evening  I  attended 
a  religious  meeting  of  Friends  in  their  chapel 
(the  first  I  ever  was  present  at)  to  see  how 
they  conduct  one.  All  sat  perfectly  still  for 
nearly  three  quarters  of  an  hour,  and  then  a 
man  rose  and  said  a  few  words ;  silence  fol- 
lowed for  a  time,  then  another  spoke,  and 
silence  again  prevailed;  at  length,  after  an 
hour  and  a  half,  the  meeting  broke  up. 
There  was  no  reading  or  singing. 

The  next  evening  I  attended  the  tea-meet- 
ing that  had  been  arranged  for  me,  at  the 
house  of  a  wealthy  Friend,  the  treasurer  of 

the  Aid  Society.     Invitations   had  been   sent 
192 


PIRMINGHAM  1 93 

to  gentlemen  of  influence,  to  meet  and  hear 
from  me.  I  spoke  at  length  of  our  American 
affairs,  and  especially  of  the  condition  and 
needs  of  the  freedmen.  They  organized 
with  Mr.  E.  Sturge,  brother  of  the  celebrated 
philanthropist,  Joseph  Sturge,  in  the  chair. 
After  my  address  a  very  complimentary  reso- 
lution was  passed,  expressing  satisfaction  at 
hearing  from  me,  and  commending  my  mis- 
sion. The  next  day  I  met  the  Committee  of 
the  Society,  and  after  a  conference,  I  received 
their  endorsement.  From  here  I  go  to  Man- 
chester. 

There  is  a  great  and  growing  interest  man- 
ifested in  Great  Britain  in  behalf  of  the  freed 
negroes  of  America,  and  very  much  has  been 
done  already  for  their  relief  and  their  social 
and  religious  improvement.  The  movement 
began  in  Birmingham,  where  there  has  been 
for  forty  years  or  more  a  very  efficient  anti- 
slavery  society  of  ladies.  At  one  of  their 
meetings  a  year  ago  or  more,  it  was  sug- 
gested that  something  ought  to  be  done  for  the 
freedmen  of  America,  and  it  was  proposed 
that  supplies  should  be  sent.  From  this  re- 
sulted the  very  energetic  Birmingham  and 
Midland  Freedmen's  Aid  Society,  which  has 
done  so  much,  and  \vhich  has  always  main- 


194          RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

tained  a  leading  position  in  the  efforts  of  Brit- 
ish Christians  and  philanthropists  in  this  di- 
rection. In  this  good  work  there,  and  in  fact 
throughout  England,  the  Friends  or  Quakers 
have  borne  a  most  honorable  and  noble  part. 
It  has  been  my  good  fortune  to  see  much  of 
this  benevolent  class,  to  experience  their  hos- 
pitality and  to  cooperate  with  them.  And  the 
recollection  of  my  intercourse  with  them  will 
be  among  the  pleasantest  of  the  reminiscences 
of  my  visit  to  this  country. 

As  a  specimen  of  the  spirit  that  prevails  at 
Birmingham,  I  will  state  that  some  time  ago 
they  had  a  public  breakfast  there  for  the 
benefit  of  the  freedmen's  cause.  Mr.  John 
Cropper  of  Liverpool,  a  most  liberal  and 
benevolent  man,  not  a  Quaker,  however, 
offered  a  donation  of  £50  if  £1,000  could  be 
raised.  The  effort  was  made,  and  resulted  in 
securing  £1,200  or  about  $6,000.  Large 
amounts  of  clothing  have  also  been  sent  from 
that  society.  The  London  Freedmen's  Aid 
Society  is  also  another  very  efficient  organ- 
ization, and  the  Friends'  Central  Committee 
of  London  another:  But  besides  these  three 
leading  associations  there  are  some  forty  or 
fifty  local  ones  in  various  parts  of  the  king- 
dom. There  has  been,  also,  a  National 


MANCHESTER  IQ5 

Committee  of  British  Freedmen's  Aid  Soci- 
eties at  London,  of  which  Sir  T.  Fovvell  Bux- 
ton  is  chairman,  designed  to  be  a  sort  of  bond 
of  union  for  all  the  local  societies. 

This  last  named  committee  held  its  third 
quarterly  meeting  in  Manchester,  where  I 
now  write,  this  week,  and  arrangements  were 
inaugurated,  which  will  be  carried  out,  for 
making  of  this  committee  a  National  Union 
of  Freedmen's  Aid  Societies  for  Great  Britain 
and  Ireland.  To  this  central  body  reports  will 
be  made,  and  through  it  arrangements  car- 
ried out  for  the  more,  general  and  efficient 
prosecution  of  the  work  of  raising  funds  for 
the  freedmen  of  America. 

In  connection  with  the  business  meeting  of 
the  National  Committee  here,  a  public  meet- 
ing was  held  after  the  English  manner,  with 
speeches,  contributions,  etc.  In  the  evening 
a  more  popular  gathering  was  had  with 
addresses.  I  \vas  invited  to  be  present  and  to 
speak,  which  I  did.  There  were  subscribed 
at  both  meetings  £500  or  $2,500,  of  which 
a  part  was  voted  to  be  sent  to  the  American 
Missionary  Association,  which  I  represent. 

While  in  Birmingham  I  received  an  invita- 
tion to  hold  a  freedmen's  meeting  at  Kendal, 
the  southern  entrance  to  the  celebrated  lake 


196          RECOLLECTIONS    OF   A    NONAGENARIAN 

region,  famous  as  the  residence  of  the  lake 
poets  and  other  literary  persons.  The  meet- 
ing at  Kendal  was  well  attended  and  satis- 
factory in  pecuniary  returns.  Leaving  there 
I  passed  up  through  the  lake  country. 


CHAPTER   XXIV 

THE    LAKE    REGION HOMES    OF    CELEBRATED 

AUTHORS ENGLISH    ROADS KESWICK 

Leaving  Kendal  by  rail  at  6:30  o'clock, 
A.  M.,  I  was  soon  set  down  at  the  Winder- 
mere  hotel,  nine  miles  distant,  in  the  village 
of  the  same  name  near  the  shore  of  the  lake. 
After  an  excellent  breakfast,  I  walked  out 
among  the  many  beautiful  parks  which  are 
connected  with  the  country  seats  that  abound 
here,  and  in  the  course  of  my  stroll  passed 
the  house,  Elleray,  where  Christopher  North 
(Professor  Wilson)  of  Blackwood  fame,  spent 
so  much  of  his  time.  It  is  a  plain  dwelling, 
but  delightfully  situated  on  high  ground,  com- 
manding a  view  of  the  lake  and  much  of  the 
immediately  surrounding  country.  After  sat- 
isfying my  curiosity  here,  and  purchasing 
some  fine  pictures  of  the  scenery  of  the 
district,  I  took  a  gig  and  driver  and  set  oft' 
for  Grasmere,  after  riding  about  a  little  to 
get  some  lake  views,  and  to  obtain  sight  of 


198          RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

some  more  of  the  beautiful  residences  of  the 
neighborhood. 

Going  north,  we  skirted  Windermere  lake, 
getting  many  fine  views,  and  ere  long  came 
in  sight  of  "  Dove's  Nest,"  the  residence  of 
the  late  Mrs.  Hemans.  On  reaching  the  vil- 
lage of  Ambleside,  I  was  pointed  to  the  house 
where  Harriet  Martineau  now  lives.  She  is 
very  aged,  and  has  not  been  out  for  four  or 
five  years.  A  little  farther  on  upon  a  hill- 
side, peeping  out  of  the  woods,  we  saw 
where  Dr.  Arnold  lived.  At  the  village  of 
Rydal  we  halted,  while  I  ran  up  the  ravine  to 
catch  a  look  at  a  waterfall  which  is  much 
admired,  but  of  which  we  have  thousands  in 
the  United  States  quite  as  fine,  and  so  com- 
mon as  to  be  thought  little  of.  In  fact,  I  saw 
no  cascade  in  the  district  which  would  be 
celebrated  in  America,  though  here  they 
excite  great  admiration. 

Just  beyond  Rydal  village,  and  near  the 
roadside,  is  Rydal  Mount,  where  Words- 
worth lived  and  died.  It  is  not  a  pretentious 
house,  but  stands  on  elevated  ground  and  is 
surrounded  by  shrubbery,  and  in  front  has  a 
small  grass  plat  with  seats,  from  which  there 
is  a  fine  outlook  down  the  valley.  Here  the 
poet  used  often  to  sit.  I  obtained  entrance  to 


HOMES    OF    CELEBRATED    AUTHORS  199 

the  grounds  but  not  to  the  dwelling.  Rydal 
Water  is  a  beautiful  little  stieet,  very  shallow, 
and  filled  with  green  islands — what  we 
should  call  a  pond  in  America. 

By  the  roadside  and  just  in  the  edge  of  the 
water  rises  a  high  rock  which  is  ascended  by 
steps  and  on  which  I  was  told  Wordsworth 
used  to  sit  for  hours,  in  fine  weather,  reading, 
or  writing  poetry.  Near  by,  and  on.  the  side 
of  the  road,  is  a  very  common  house,  now 
used  for  some  kind  of  a  shop,  in  part,  where 
S.  T.  Coleridge  lived  for  a  while.  There  also 
dwelt  Hartley  Coleridge,  and  there  he  died. 

Two  or  three  miles  further  brought  me  to 
Grasmere,  village  and  lake,  where  I  visited 
the  quaint  little  church  in  which  the  Words- 
worths  worshiped,  and  which  contains  a  plain 
marble  slab  with  a  memorial  inscription  for 
the  poet.  In  the  burying-ground  surrounding 
the  church,  and  in  the  corner  nearly  behind 
it,  I  found  the  graves  of  Wordsworth  and  his 
sister,  with  Miss  Hutchinson's,  his  wife's 
maiden  sister,  between.  They  are  all  marked 
by  plain  marble  stones.  Behind  them  lies 
Hartley  Coleridge.  In  the  village  is  pointed 
out  the  humble  cottage  where  Wordsworth 
first  lived,  before  the  house  at  Rydal  Mount 
was  built. 


200          RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

At  Grasmere  I  dismissed  my  horse  and 
driver  and  after  a  lunch  at  the  hotel  I  resolved 
to  occupy  the  afternoon  with  a  pedestrian  trip, 
leaving  my  luggage  to  come  on  by  coach. 
Proceeding  on  then,  over  the  fine  macadam- 
ized road,  I  had  an  excellent  opportunity  to 
enjoy  the  scenery,  albeit  the  season  was  not 
the  most  favorable  for  the  purpose,  nor  the 
day  propitious.  It  had  been  cloudy  since 
morning,  and  a  mist  which  occasionally  rose 
hung  over  the  valley.  But  just  as  I  left 
Grasmere  the  sun  broke  through  the  clouds 
and  I  had  some  glorious  views,  particularly 
one  of  the  high  mountain  peak  on  the  top  of 
which  are  seen,  quite  distinctly,  two  rocks 
which  remarkably  resemble  a  lion  and  a  lamb. 
The  valley  varies  from  half  a  mile  to  a  mile 
in  width,  and  the  mountains  rise  to  a  very 
considerable  height,  bare  for  the  most  part  of 
trees,  and  resembling  those  in  many  parts  of 
California. 

I  sauntered  on  leisurely,  intending  to  make 
about  five  miles  by  dark,  and  to  reach  a  road- 
side inn  where  I  had  directed  the  Keswick 
coach  to  take  me  up.  But  so  excellent  was  the 
road  and  so  exciting  my  experience,  that  when 
I  arrived  at  my  appointed  goal  there  was  more 
than  an  hour  of  daylight  left  and  I  felt  so 


ENGLISH    ROADS  2OI 

fresh  that  I  concluded  to  push  on  to  another 
inn  three  miles  farther.  The  road  was  not 
level,  but  up  hill  and  down,  and  often  did  I 
stop  to  look  behind  me  or  to  gaze  on  some 
new  scene  before.  For  a  large  portion  of  the 
last  stage  my  course  was  along  a  lake,  the 
name  of  which  I  have  forgotten,  and  under 
the  lofty  peak  called  Helvellyn,  which  towers 
above  all  the  others  in  the  valley  and  rises 
directly  from  the  water's  edge. 

Nothing  strikes  an  American  more  than 
the  excellence  of  these  roads.  They  are  all 
macadamized  and  kept  as  smooth  and  clean 
as  Beacon  Street  in  Boston,  multitudes  of 
poor  people  earning  a  small  pittance  to  eke 
out  their  little  means  of  subsistence  by  gath- 
ering up  the  scrapings  in  wheelbarrows  or 
carts  drawn  by  a  scrubby  little  pony  or  a 
shaggy  donkey. 

In  one  place,  as  I  walked  op,  I  discovered 
a  flat  stone  set  in  the  wall  fence,  with  an  in- 
scription cut  upon  it,  which  I  supposed  was  a 
memorial  of  some  person  killed  by  accident 
there.  I  have  seen  monuments  of  the  kind  by 
the  roadside  in  America.  But  on  examina- 
tion I  found  it  to  relate  to  a  .horse^  and  I 
copied  it  as  follows  : 


RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

3Oth  gth  mo.  1843. 

FalPn  from  his  fellow's  side 
The  steed  beneath  is  lying ; 

In  harness  here  he  died  ; 
His  only  fault  was — dying. 


w.  B. 


At  length  I  reached  "mine  inn, "just  as 
the  darkness  was  settling  down  upon  the 
valley,  and  sat  down  before  a  blazing  coal 
fire  to  wait  for  the  coach,  improving  the  time 
by  getting  a  cup  of  tea  with  cream,  a  plate  of 
toast,  and  a  fresh  boiled  egg.  At  seven 
o'clock  the  coach  came  rattling  on  at  the  rate 
of  seven  or  eight  miles  an  hour  and  took  me 
up,  and  before  nine  we  were  in  Keswick. 

As  I  must  take  the  train  about  noon  the 
next  day,  I  rose  early  and  had  my  breakfast 
just  as  the  day  was  dawning,  and  then 
mounted  a  spirited  little  pony,  which  I  had 
engaged  the  night  before,  for  a  ride  round 
Lake  Derwentvvater,  a  distance  of  about  ten 
miles.  The  morning  was  delightful,  clear 
and  balmy,  and  never  did  I  find  my  spirits 
more  exhilarated  than  during  that  trip.  The 
scenery  of  Keswick  and  its  lake  is  equal  to 
any  thing  I  have  ever  seen,  and  I  have  vis- 
ited mo3t  of  the  celebrated  regions  of  the 
Eastern  and  Middle  States  and  California. 


KESWICK  203 

The  lake  is  some  four  or  five  miles  long  and 
from  half  a  mile  to  two  miles  wide  in  dif- 
ferent parts,  and  lies  in  a  basin  formed  by 
bare  and  precipitous  mountains  that  rise 
almost  from  its  edge,  but  endlessly  variegated 
in  •form  and  appearance.  On  the  route  I 
paused  to  look  at  two  cascades  that  attracted 
much  attention,  one  whose  name,  Lodore, 
has  become  so  familiar  from  Southey's  lines 
written  for  his  son  and  entitled  "  How  the 
Waters  come  down  at  Lodore."  'But  neither 
of  these  would  excite  much  observation  in 
America. 

On  an  island  in  the  lake  is  a  large  mansion 
belonging  to  Lord  Derwentwater,  and  there 
are  several  fine  mansions  on  either  side  over- 
looking the  water.  On  my  return,  just  before 
reaching  Keswick  town,  a  place  of  several 
thousand  inhabitants,  I  came  upon  the  old 
church  where  Southey  attended  service. 
Part  of  it  dates  back  six  hundred  years,  and 
there  is  a  fine  marble  statue  of  the  poet,  in  a 
recumbent  position,  the  face  formed  from  a 
cast  taken  some  years  before  his  death  and  said 
to  be  a  good  likeness.  The  old  sexton 
(claiming  to  be  the  oldest  in  England)  was 
full  of  anecdotes  of  Southey,  who,  he  said, 
"  was  a  very  humble  man,"  and  of  Southey's 


204  RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

house,  Greta  Hall,  occupied  by  him  for  forty 
years,  fronting  the  lake.  This  lake  region  is 
one  of  the  most  attractive  to  the  tourist  of 
any  in  England. 


CHAPTER  XXV 

GRETNA  GREEN THE  BURNS  REGION IRVINE 

J  AMES     MONTGOMERY KILMARNOCK 

ALEXANDER    SMITH PAISLEY 

AYR,  SCOTLAND,  Dec.  27,  1865. 

Coming  north  from  Liverpool  one  passes 
Carlisle,  a  large  town,  the  last  of  importance 
in  England,  and  soon  crosses  a  little  stream- 
let, that  he  might  easily  leap  over,  which 
forms  the  boundary  line  between  the  two 
kingdoms.  Then  he  reaches  Gretna  Green, 
and  the  house  and  shop  of  the  blacksmith  who 
used  to  forge  the  chains  of  matrimony  for 
runaways  from  the  strict  laws  of  England  to 
the  looser  ones  of  Scotland.  A  little  further 
on  he  reaches  Dumfries,  where  the  poet 
Burns  lived  a  while  and  acted  as  exciseman, 
and  where  he  finally  died  and  was  buried. 
Still  further  on  is  Mauchline,  near  which  was 
the  farm  of  Mossgiel,  where  much  of  his 
poetry  was  written. 

I  reached  Ayr,  where  he  was  born,  in  the 
evening,  and  took  lodgings  at  the  Queen's 
Hotel,  which  fronts  on  the  river  Ayr,  and  a 
205 


206          RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

few  rods  from  the  "  Brig  of  Ayr,"  that  is,  the 
bridge,  in  Scottish.  Who  does  not  remember 
the  lines  on  ''The  Twa  Brigs  of  Ayr,"  im- 
mortalized by  the  peasant  poet?  I  could  not 
delay  visiting  them,  with  a  friend  residing 
here,  night  though  it  was,  as  soon  as  I  had 
deposited  my  baggage  and  engaged  a  room. 
I  crossed  the  "  auld  brig,"  and  returned  by 
the  new.  The  former  is  very  ancient,  built 
in  the  reign  of  Alexander  III,  about  1250.  It 
is  very  narrow  and  well  deserved  the  taunt  of 
the  "  new  brig  "  for  being  so  narrow  that  two 
wheelbarrows  could  scarcely  pass  each  other 
upon  it.  It  is  now  used  only  by  foot  passen- 
gers. 

Below  the  brigs  and  near  the  mouth  of  the 
river  are  the  remains  of  a  fort  built  by  Crom- 
well in  1652.  There  are  some  18,000  people 
now  in  the  town.  Here  Wallace  was  once 
confined  in  a  tower,  and  he  and  Bruce  once 
figured  largely  in  the  vicinitv,  as  you  know. 
Not  far  from  here  the  latter  landed,  and  the 
scene  occurred  where  he  saw  the  spider 
who  encouraged  him  by  her  repeated  efforts, 
as  he  lay  disheartened  in  a  cave  just  before 
the  decisive  battle  of  Bannockburn,  where  the 
English  were  defeated  and  Scotland's  inde- 
pendence was  won. 


THE    BURNS    REGION  2OJ 

There  is  a  peculiar  interest  connected  with 
any  place  associated  with  the  memory  of  such 
a  man  as  Burns.  I  cannot  describe  my  emo- 
tions as  I  thought  of  being  on  a  spot  of  which 
I  had  so  often  read,  and  as  I  sat  down  in  the 
room  at  the  hotel  with  a  copy  of  the  life  and 
writings  of  the  poet,  and  perused  them  till 
near  midnight,  refreshing  my  recollections  of 
his  history  and  his  works,  and  in  the  morning 
set  off  for  a  walk  to  the  cottage  in  which  he  was 
born,  about  two  miles  distant,  near  which, 
also,  was  the  scene  of  Tarn  O'Shanter's 
adventures.  In  passing  through  one  of  the 
principal  streets,  I  saw  the  sign  of  the  "  Tarn 
O'Shanter  Inn,"  on  which  was  a  notice  that 
cup  and  chairs  used  by  Tarn  and  Souter  John 
are  still  preserved  within.  A  very  good 
painting  over  the  door  represents  Tam  just 
setting  off  on  his  mare  Maggie  on  his  famous 
trip,  the  landlord  and  his  w:ife,  and  Souter 
John  bidding  him  good  night,  a  lantern  flash- 
ing its  light  on  the  scene. 

After  a  pleasant  walk  over  a  fine  road 
and  in  view  of  several  beautiful  mansions,  I 
reached  the  cottage,  now  owned  and  pre- 
served by  an  association  of  shoemakers. 
There  are  seen  the  little  room  in  which  Burns 
was  born,  with  the  recess  for  the  bed,  the 


208          RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

stone  floor,  and  the  little  solitary  window  with 
four  diminutive  panes  of  glass,  and  the  large 
fireplace.  Adjoining  this  room  is  another 
small  one  with  chairs,  tables,  etc.,  as  in  his 
days  of  infancy,  and  these  are  literally  cov- 
ered with  names  and  initials  carved  by  fools 
who  vainly  hoped  thus  to  link  their  names 
with  immortality  along  with  Burns.  A  little 
farther  on  are  the  walls  of  "Auld  Alloway 
Kirk,"  where  Tam  O'Shanter  saw  the  hob- 
goblins and  witches,  and  the  window  is 
pointed  out  through  which  he  peered  in  and 
and  saw  the  De'il  playing  the  pipes  for  them 
to  dance,  he  sitting  in  a  recess  that  still 
appears  !  Here  Tam  spoke,  when,  suddenly, 
the  lights  disappeared  and  after  him  came  the 
whole  brood,  while  Maggie,  the  grey  mare, 
put  to  her  mettle,  made  for  the  brig  across 
the  Doon,  near  by,  the  centre  of  which 
stream  the  witches  could  not  cross.  We 
walked  down  the  road  in  the  track  of  Tam, 
and  across  the  bridge,  stopping  opposite  the 
keystone  or  centre,  where  Maggie  lost  her 
tail  (!)  to  enjoy  a  hearty  laugh  at  the  humor 
of  the  idea. 

An  old  man,  such  as  is  always  seen 
hanging  about  such  places  in  Europe,  des- 
ignated for  us  the  various  points  of  interest. 


THE    BURNS    REGIOX  2  09 

We  saw  the  place  where  the  thorn  stood  on 

which 

Mungo's  mither  hang'd  hersel1 ; 

also 

The  ford, 
Whare  in  the  snaw  the  chapman  smoor'd ; 

and  the 

Meikle  stane, 
Whare  drunken  Charlie  brak  1s  neck-bane  ; 

as  well  as 

The  cairn, 
Whare  hunters  fand  the  murder'd  bairn. 

How  descriptive  of  the  condition  of  one  under 
the  influence  of  liquor,  those  lines 

Kings  may  be  blest,  but  Tam  was  glorious, 
O'er  a'  the  ills  o'  life  victorious. 

In  front  of  "  Auld  Alloway  Kirk"  is  the 
grave  of  Burns'  father  and  mother,  marked  by 
the  same  headstone,  and  across  the  road 
stands  the  new  and  handsome  Alloway  church. 
A  few  rods  from  the  latter,  in  an  enclosure 
ornamented  with  shrubs  and  flowers,  and  laid 
out  with  walks,  stands  a  handsome  monument 
to  the  poet,  supposed  to  be  on  the  identical 
spot  on  which  he  wrote  the  exquisite  little  song 
beginning 

Ye  banks  and  braes  o'  bonnie  Boon, 
How  can  ye  bloom  sae  fresh  and  fair ! 


210  RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

The  Doon  is  a  beautiful  stream,  and  well 
deserves  the  poet's  praises,  with  its  picturesque 
shores  and  distant  hillsides.  In  a  little  build- 
ing, also  standing  in  the  enclosure  referred  to, 
is  a  most  capital  piece  of  statuary,  represent- 
ing Tarn  O'Shanter  and  Souter  John  in  the 
tavern,  the  latter  just  reaching  the  point  of 
one  of  his  funny  stories,  and  Tam  shaking  his 
sides  with  laughter.  The  attitudes  and  the 
expressions  of  the  countenances  are  equal  to 
anything  I  have  ever  seen,  although  the  artist 
was  self-taught. 

After  enjoying  these  scenes  I  returned  to 
my  lodgings  by  another  road,  from  which  I 
obtained  a  view  of  the  sea,  of  a  remarkable 
promontory  that  projects  into  it,  and  of  the 
ruins  of  an  old  castle, — to  reflect  on  the  sad 
fact  that  talents  like  those  of  Burns  should  be 
associated  with  such  morals  as  his.  But  im- 
moral as  he  was,  we  cannot  but  admire  his 
genius  and  read  his  poems  and  songs,  while 
we  lament  that  religion  did  not  exert  her 
purifying  influence  over  his  heart.  One  re- 
deeming quality  he  certainly  had,  which  it 
were  well  if  others  of  sterner  morals  devel- 
oped as  fully — he  was  kind-hearted  and 
benevolent.  It  is  related  of  him  that  when 
in  most  straitened  circumstances  pecuniarily, 


IRVINE  211 

his  hand  was  open  to  the  needy.  The 
wandering  poor  were  never  allowed  to  go 
past  his  door  without  a  halfpenny  or  a 
handful  of  meal.  He  was  particularly  kind 
to  those  who  were  weak  in  mind.  A  poor 
half-mad  creature,  the  Madge  Wildfire  of 
Scott,  it  is  said,  always  found  a  mouthful 
ready  for  her  at  his  fireside.  It  is  also 
asserted  that  he  never  was  so  addicted  to 
drink  as  to  neglect  his  official  duties,  and  that 
he  superintended  the  education  of  his  family 
with  great  care,  and  especially  that  of  his 
eldest  son.  He  was  a  great  republican  in 
politics,  and  once  when  a  toast  was  given  to 
Pitt  where  he  was  present,  he  refused  to  drink 
it,  and  proposed  instead  of  it,  that  of  "  a  bet- 
ter man,  Washington."  Nev*r  did  I  enjoy 
the  poems  of  Burns  as  when  reading  them  in 
his  own  town. 

From  Ayr  I  went  to  Irvine,  a  few  miles  dis- 
tant, where  I  preached  twice  on  the  Sabbath 
for  the  freedmen.  I  was  the  guest  of  the 
eccentric  but  able  United  Presbyterian  min- 
ister, Rev.  W.  H.  Robertson,  whom  I  shall 
long  remember.  This  was  the  birthplace  of 
James  Montgomery,  the  poet,  and  the  little 
thatched  cottage  in  which  he  was  born  now 
stands  under  the  same  roof  with  what  was 


212     RECOLLECTIONS  OF  A  NONAGENARIAN 

then  the  Moravian  chapel.  I  visited  it  in  a 
little  lane  or  close.  How  different  the  char- 
acter and  writings  of  the  two  poets,  and  how 
remarkable  that  two  such  geniuses  should 
arise  so  near  together  in  such  humble  homes  ! 
Kilmarnock,  near  by,  where  I  am  to  speak 
to-morrow,  was  the  birthplace  of  Alexander 
Smith,  also  a  poet.  One  is  continually  com- 
ing here  upon  places  memorable  for  some- 
thing in  history  or  literature  with  which  he  is 
familiar. 

I  next  visited  Paisley,  a  town  of  some  thirty 
thousand  people,  famous  for  its  shawls  and 
the  great  Coats  establishment  for  the  manu- 
facture of  spool  cotton.  Mr.  Peter  Coats 
showed  me  through  his  immense  factory,  and 
presented  me  with  a  package  of  his  spool 
thread,  so  well  known  in  America.  I  saw 
immense  piles  of  the  peculiar  wood  which  is 
alone  adapted  to  his  use  for  spools.  Mr. 
Coats  is  a  warm-hearted  and  liberal  man, 
and  took  a  deep  interest  in  my  mission. 

Paisley  owes  its  origin  to  a  religious  estab- 
lishment founded  here  in  1160  by  Warner 
Stuart,  ancestor  of  the  royal  family  of  Scot- 
land and  of  Queen  Victoria.  The  present 
abbey  church  belongs  to  the  present  estab- 
lished body,  and  is  a  great  curiosity.  The 


PAISLEY  213 

portion  now  used  for  public  worship  consists 
of  the  old  chancel,  and  there  is  a  very  fine 
Gothic  window.  Two  noble  families  have 
seats  there,  and  several  have  vaults  in  the 
cemetery.  A  crypt  on  one  side  has  a  remark- 
able echo,  and  within  it  is  a  recumbent  statue 
of  Marjory ,  daughter  of  Robert  Bruce,  who  was 
buried  there.  She  was  the  mother  of  Robert 
II,  and  wife  of  the  founder  of  the  abbey.  In 
the  graveyard  was  pointed  out  where  Burns' 
"Bonny  Lass  of  Ballochmoyle"  lies  interred. 
I  preached  three  times  on  Sunday  in  Pais- 
ley, in  three  different  churches,  the  Free,  the 
United  Presbyterian,  and  the  Established.  In 
the  latter  case,  for  the  first  time,  I  wore  the 
gown  and  bands,  as  without  them  I  could  not 
be  permitted  to  occupy  the  pulpit,  and  there, 
too,  for  the  first  time,  I  heard  sung  the  old 
Scotch  version  of  the  Psalms.  Before  enter- 
ing the  pulpit  the  sexton  arrayed  me  in  the 
gown  and  bands,  and  with  some  difficulty  I 
ascended  the  pulpit  stairs,  nearly  tripping 
with  the  gown.  I  was  the  guest  of  the  United 
Presbyterian  minister,  and  his  wife  told  me 
afterwards,  "You  looked  fine  in  the  gown!'* 
Much  sympathy  was  manifested  in  all  the 
congregations  for  the  freedmen,  and  good 
collections  were  taken. 


CHAPTER  XXVI 

EDINBURGH A      GREAT      MEETING MELROSE 

ABBEY ABBOTSFORD 

My  next  field  of  effort  in  my  mission  was  at 
Edinburgh,  and  I  was  exceedingly  desirous  of 
making  a  demonstration  there  that  would  open 
the  way  for  operations  in  the  interior  of  Scot- 
land. The  freedmen's  cause  had  never  been 
presented  there.  I  succeeded  in  securing  the 
pulpits  of  three  churches  to  present  the  sub- 
ject— the  Free  High  Church,  Dr.  Arnot's, 
the  Congregational,  Dr.  Lindsay  Alexan- 
der's, and  for  the  evening,  the  immense  Free 
Church  Assembly  Hall,  where  there  was  a 
crowded  audience. 

I  called  on  the  celebrated  Dr.  Guthrie, 
and  was  invited  to  breakfast  with  him ;  he 
manifested  great  interest  in  my  mission,  and 
was  very  desirous  of  having  a  public  week- 
evening  meeting,  with  the  lord  provost  to  pre- 
side. He  had,  himself,  been  forbidden  for 
some  time,  by  his  physician,  to  speak  in  pub- 
lic, but  I  very  much  wished  to  have  him  do 
so  in  this  case,  on  account  of  his  great  elo- 
214 


EDINBURGH  215 

quence  and  popularity.  He  finally  consented 
to  consult  his  medical  adviser,  and  after  a 
careful  examination  the  doctor  said,  "  Loose 
him  and  let  him  go,"  and  so  his  aid  was 
secured. 

After  much  travel  and  effort  a  large  hall 
was  secured,  the  services  of  the  lord  provost 
engaged,  and  public  announcements  were 
made.  I  found  it  a  no  small  undertaking  to 
accomplish  this  in  such  a  city.  When  the 
evening  came  the  house  was  full,  and  on 
reaching  the  place  I  found  quite  3  number 
of  prominent  persons,  including  Dr.  Guthrie 
and  the  provost,  awaiting  me  in  the  ante- 
room. At  eight  o'clock  we  entered  the 
crowded  room  in  solemn  procession,  led  by 
the  provost,  who  made  a  short  opening  speech. 
After  I  had  set  forth  as  well  as  I  could  and  at 
length  the  object  of  my  mission,  Dr.  Alexan- 
der moved  a  resolution  of  sympathy,  with  a 
good  speech.  He  was  seconded  by  Dr.  Arnot, 
and  it  was  adopted.  Then  a  gentleman  moved 
the  formation  of  a  committee  for  raising  sub- 
scriptions outside,  which  was  followed  by  his 
heading  the  list  with  £200,  or  $1,000.  At 
once  £500  were  added,  or  $2,500,  and  subse- 
quently it  was  increased  by  considerable  addi- 
tions. Then  Rev.  Dr.  Guthrie  rose  to  move 


2l6          RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

a  vote  of  thanks  to  the  gentleman  from 
America,  for  the  information  given,  and  sup- 
ported it  for  half  an  hour  in  a  most  capital 
and  characteristic  address,  replete  with 
pathos  and  humor  in  parts,  which  was 
loudly  cheered.  He  expressed  much  sym- 
pathy for  America  in  her  great  work,  and 
for  the  freedmen  in  their  new  condition.  He 
said  no  other  cause  would  have  brought  him 
out.  He  is  still  nominally  pastor  of  a  church 
with  Dr.  Hanna,  but  does  not  discharge  any 
of  the  duties  of  the  office.  I  found  him  very 
genial  and  entertaining.  The  meeting  proved 
to  be  quite  a  success,  much  to  my  relief  and 
that  of  some  timid  friends,  and  it  will  have 
great  influence  in  Scotland.  I  think  the  total 
receipts  of  my  operations  there  were  over  five 
thousand  dollars.  It  was  a  great  feat  to  get 
up  and  "  get  off"  such  a  meeting  in  that 
city. 

On  calling  on  Mr.  Arnot  at  Morningside,  a 
suburb  of  Edinburgh,  I  was  shown  by  him 
into  Dr.  Chalmers's  study,  which  remains  just 
as  he  left  it,  books,  pictures,  desk,  chairs,  etc. 
Mr.  Arnot  occupies  the  house  and  by  the  lease 
this  room  was  stipulated  to  be  left  as  it  is. 
It  was  with  deep  emotion  that  I  stood  in  that 
room  and  thought  of  the  gigantic  labors  of  its 


MELROSE   ABBEY  217 

former  occupant.  In  the  cemetery  near  by  I 
also  saw  Dr.  Chalmers's  tomb  and  the  stone 
that  marks  his  resting-place,  and  near  by  that 
of  Hugh  Miller.  Dr.  Guthrie  is  also  to  be 
buried  there. 

My  mission,  I  repeat,  has  given  me  un- 
equalled opportunities  for  seeing  scenery  and 
objects  of  interest,  and  much  that  escapes  the 
mere  tourist.  In  fact,  my  work  led  me  to  all 
parts  of  England  and  Scotland,  almost  from 
Land's  End  to  John  O'Groat's.  While  in 
Edinburgh  I  made  an  excursion  tp  Melrose 
Abbey.  But  it  has  been  so  often  described 
that  I  will  not  dwell  upon  it,  only  to  say  that 
it  is,  next  to  Tintern,  the  finest  specimen  of 
Gothic  architecture  in  Great  Britain.  The 
eastern  window  is  uncommonly  elegant,  and 
as  Scott  says  in  the  "  Lay  of  the  Last  Min- 
strel," as  if 

Some  fairy's  hand 

'Twixt  poplars  straight  the  ozier's  wand 
In  many  a  freaking  knot  had  twined ; 
Then  framed  a  spell  when  work  was  done, 
And  changed  the  willow  wreaths  to  stone. 

Here  the  embalmed  heart  of  Robert  the 
Bruce  was  finally  deposited. 

A  ride  of  three  miles  through  a  romantic 
region  brought  me  to  the  former  residence  of 


2l8  RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

Sir  Walter  Scott,  who  has  been  my  favorite 
novelist  from  my  youth  up.  It  has  often  been 
described  arid  I  will  only  say  that  the  edifice, 
so  unlike  any  other  ever  built,  is  well  worth 
seeing,  and  is  as  full  of  curiosities  as  was 
Barnum's  museum.  Says  Elihu  Burritt : 

And  here  it  is  !  It  is  the  photograph  of  Sir  Walter, 
and  brimful  of  him  and  his  histories.  No  author's  pen 
ever  gave  such  individuality  to  a  human  home. 
History  hangs  its  web-work  everywhere.  Quaint,  old, 
carved  stones  from  abbey  and  castle  ruins,  arms,  devices 
and  inscriptions  are  all  here  presented  to  the  eye  like  the 
printed  page  of  an  open  volume.  Here  is  a  chair  made 
from  the  house  in  which  Wallace  was  betrayed,  Rob  Roy's 
pistol,  and  the  key  and  door  of  the  old  Tolbooth  of  Edin- 
burgh . 

It  is  with  the  deepest  emotion  that  one  enters 
the  dwelling  so  associated  with  the  Great 
Wizard  of  the  North,  whose  enchantment  he 
has  completely  experienced.  As  I  walked 
from  room  to  room,  saw  the  furniture,  the 
presents  received  from  Napoleon  and  other 
royal  personages,  and  looked  from  the  win- 
dows out  upon  the  scenes  familiar  to  Sir 
Walter,  I  could  not  but  feel  sad  that  "  the 
places  he  knew  would  know  him  no  more." 
But  my  feelings  culminated  almost  to  tears 
when  I  entered  the  study,  kept  just  as  he  left 


ABBOTSFORD  2 19 

it,  and  saw  the  books  he  consulted,  the  arm- 
chair he  occupied,  and  the  desk  on  which 
he  wrote  his  immortal  works,  which  have 
afforded  me  and  thousands  of  others  so  much 
entertainment.  But  what  shall  I  say  of  the 
emotion  felt  when,  in  a  little  glass  case  I 
looked  upon  the  very  clothes  he  wore  when 
he  walked  out  upon  his  grounds  !  Here  was 
the  white  hat  he  used  to  be  pictured  in,  the 
thick  shoes,  the  coat  and  plaid  trowsers  in 
which  he  loved  to  be  clad.  After  examining 
these  things,  I  took  a  stroll  about  the  grounds, 
and  down  to  the  Tweed,  and  thought  how  often 
Scott  had  trod  these  paths,  and  I  meditated 
on  the  lessons  here  suggested  of  the  muta- 
bility of  life.  The  library  is  an  immense 
room  and  contains  some  twenty  thousand 
volumes.  But  I  need  not  enlarge.  That 
evening  I  returned  to  Edinburgh  after  a  day 
of  excitement  and  interest  rarely  equaled  in 
my  experience. 


CHAPTER    XXVII 

MEETING  AT  HAWICK VISIT  TO  JAMES  DOUG- 
LAS OF  CAVERS AN  EXCURSION  TO  JED- 
BURGH  THROUGH  SCENES  OF  THE  "  LAY 

OF     THE      LAST      MINSTREL  " RETURN      TO 

EDINBURGH 

I  had  a  letter  of  introduction  from  President 
Sturtevant  of  Illinois  College  to  James  Doug- 
las, Esq.,  of  Cavers,  near  Hawick,  about 
fifty  miles  southeast  of  Edinburgh,  and  this 
secured  for  me  an  invitation  to  spend  a  few 
days  with  him  at  his  residence,  and  also  to 
address  a  public  meeting,  at  which  he  pre- 
sided, in  behalf  of  the  American  freedmen. 
Hawick,  now  a  flourishing  manufacturing 
town  of  some  eight  thousand  inhabitants,  on 
the  Teviot,  "  was  a  rallying  and  sallying 
point  in  the  old  border  wars,  and  was  inun- 
dated two  or  three  times  by  the  flux  and  reflux 
of  this  conflict."  It  suffered  much  in  those 
days  when  freebooting  was  the  pastime  and 
occupation  of  knights  and  chieftains  and  their 
clans,  being  in  the  border  country  of  Scotland 
adjoining  that  of  Northumberland  in  Eng- 
land, the  home  of  the  Percys. 


VISIT   TO   JAMES    DOUGLAS    OF    CAVERS          221 

On  my  arrival  in  Hawick,  I  was  first  set 
down  by  the  omnibus  at  the  Tower  Hotel,  a 
building  that  was  once  the  grand  mansion  of 
the  noble  house  of  Buccleuch,  and  where,  as 
has  been  said,  the  Duchess  of  Monmouth  used 
to  hold  her  drawing-rooms  in  an  apartment 
which  many  a  New  England  journeyman  me- 
chanic would  hardly  think  ample  and  comfort- 
able enough  for  his  parlor.  Our  freedmen's 
meeting  was  held  in  a  large  United  Presbyte- 
rian church  in  Hawick.  Much  interest  was 
manifested  in  the  object,  and  a  committee  was 
appointed  to  solicit  subscriptions,  the  head  of 
which  was  Mr.  Douglas  on  the  part  of  the 
gentlemen,  and  his  excellent  wife  on  the  part 
of  the  ladies,  Mr.  Douglas  also  heading  the 
list  of  donors. 

Mr.  Douglas  is  the  son  of  James  Douglas, 
Esq.,  of  Cavers,  who  is  well  known  in  the 
literary  and  religious  world  as  a  great  philan- 
thropist and  the  author  of  several  works  which 
have  had  a  high  reputation,  "  The  Advance- 
ment of  Society,"  "Errors  in  Religion," 
"  Thoughts  on  Missions,"  etc.  He  was  a 
laird  of  extensive  estates,  and  yet  a  decided 
and  intelligent  Congregationalist,  as  is  also 
the  present  Mr.  Douglas,  who  though  not  a 
publicist,  in  other  respects  follows  in  his 


222  RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

father's  footsteps,  not  only  in  philanthropic 
labors,  but  also  in  occasional  services  as  a  lay 
preacher.  Mr.  Douglas  is  descended  by  a 
younger  line  from  the  celebrated  border  chief- 
tains, the  earls  of  Douglas,  the  lifelong  foes 
of  the  Percys.  His  wife  is  the  daughter  of 
the  well-known  Sir  Andrew  Agnew,  who  did 
so  much  to  promote  the  right  observance  of 
the  Sabbath.  She  sympathizes  fully  with  her 
husband  in  his  religious  views,  and  cooperates 
with  him  in  his  plans  of  benevolence. 

The  dwelling  which  Mr.  Douglas  occupies 
was  once  a  castle  and  has  stood  the  brunt  of 
war  in  ancient  times.  In  some  places  the 
walls  are  eight  or  ten  feet  thick.  It  stands 
about  three  miles  from  Hawick,  not  far  from 
the  Teviotside  and  in  full  view  of  the  Eildon 
Hills  and  •'  Minto's  Crag."  The  estates  are 
nearly  thirteen  miles  long,  by  several  wide. 
Near  the  dwelling  stands  an  ancient,  though 
humble,  parish  church,  now  used  for  a  school- 
house,  in  which  Dr.  Chalmers  officiated  for 
a  time,  in  early  life,  as  assistant  minister, 
and  where  Boston,  author  of  the  "  Fourfold 
State,"  has  also  preached.  The  place  is 
pointed  out  where  he  used  to  stand  on  the 
steps  sometimes,  and  address  the  crowds  of 
people  outside. 


EXCURSION    TO   JEDBURGH  223 

Mr.  Douglas  has  now  in  his  possession, 
carefully  preserved  in  a  box,  the  banner  which 
his  ancestor  bore,  as  hereditary  sheriff,  five 
hundred  years  ago  at  the  famous  battle  of 
Otterburn,  or  Chevy  Chase,  in  which  James, 
Earl  of  Douglas,  was  slain,  and  Percy  Hot- 
spur taken  prisoner.  He  has  also  two  ladies' 
gauntlets  of  the  same  date,  elaborately  worked, 
which,  borne  on  a  Percy's  lance,  a  Douglas 
captured.  Besides  these  interesting  objects, 
he  has  also  one  of  the  original  parchment 
copies  of  the  "Act  and  Covenant  "of  the 
Scots,  which  his  ancestor,  as  sheriff,  had 
committed  to  him,  with  the  signatures  of  the 
nobles,  gentlemen,  etc.,  of  his  district. 

While  visiting  Mr.  Douglas,  he  proposed 
that  I  should  accompany  himself  and  wife  to 
the  Abbey  of  Jedburgh,  about  nine  miles 
distant.  This  I  was  but  too  happy  to  do. 
We  accordingly  set  out  early  in  the  morning 
in  a  carriage,  our  course  taking  us  down 
Teviotdale  for  a  short  distance,  and  thence 
across  the  hills  to  Jedburgh.  Teviotdale  is  a 
part  of  the  scene  of  Scott's  "  Lay  of  the  Last 
Minstrel."  Branksome  Tower,  where  the 
chief  events  of  the  story  occurred,  is  about 
three  miles  from  Hawick,  in  an  opposite 
direction  to  Cavers.  From  Branksome,  Sir 


224          RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

William  of  Deloraine  set  out  on  his  remark- 
able ride  to  see  the  magician  Michael  Scott 
of  Melrose  Abbey.  This  was  his  charge  : 

Sir  William  of  Deloraine,  good  at  need, 
Mount  thee  on  the  wightest  steed ; 
Spare  not  to  speer,  nor  stint  to  ride, 
Until  thou  come  to  fair  Tweedside. 

The    Tweed    and  the    Teviot    unite    their 
waters  not  far  from  Melrose. 

And  in  Melrose's  holy  pile 
Seek  thou  the  Monk  of  St.  Mary's  aisle. 
******** 
Soon  in  his  saddle  sat  he  fast, 
And  soon  the  steep  descent  he  past, 
Soon  crossed  the  sounding  barbican, 
And  soon  the  Teviot's  side  he  won. 
******** 
In  Hawick  twinkled  many  a  light, 
Behind  him  soon  they  set  in  night. 
******** 
He  turned  him  now  from  Teviot's  side, 
And  guided  by  the  tinkling  rill 
Northward  the  dark  ascent  did  ride, 
And  gained  the  moor  at  Horslie  hill. 
Broad  on  the  left  before  him  lay 
For  many  a  mile  the  Roman  way. 
A  moment  now  he  slacked  his  speed, 
A  moment  breath'd  his  panting  steed : 
Drew  saddle-girth  and  corselet-band, 
And  loosened  in  the  sheath  his  brand. 


EXCURSION    TO   JEDBURGH  225 

On  Minto-Crags  the  moonbeams  glint, 
Where  Barnbill  hewed  his  bed  of  flint, 
Who  flung  his  outlawed  limbs  to  rest, 
Where  falcons  hang  their  giddy  nest, 
Mid  cliffs  from  where  his  eagle  eye 
For  many  a  league  his  prey  could  spy. 

All  these  points  thus  alluded  to  we  saw  in 
the  course  of  our  journey.  Below  us  as  we 
climbed  the  hills  lay  the  beautiful  Teviotdale, 
the  river  rolling  between  highly  cultivated 
fields  which  stretched  from  its  banks  in  each 
direction,  up  to  and  along  the  sides  of  the 
hills ;  Minto's  rough  crags  and  the  point 
where  Deloraine  "drew  saddle  girth "  and 
"  breathed  his  panting  steed."  In  the  dis- 
tance we  saw  Minto  House,  the  seat  of  the 
Earl  of  Minto,  and  passed  through  Den- 
holm  village,  the  birthplace  of  Leyden  the 
poet,  where  a  beautiful  monument  has  been 
erected  to  his  memory  on  the  village  green. 
Among  the  inscriptions  on  the  monument  is  a 
tribute  from  Sir  Walter  Scott,  and  another  is 
an  extract  from  his  own  poems,  entitled, 
"  Scenes  of  My  Infancy,"  a  tender  appeal  to 
the  citizens  of  his  native  place  to  hold  him  in 
kind  remembrance. 

Reaching  at  length  the  village  of  Jedburgh, 
a  real  Scotch  town  of  some  3,000  people,  we 


226  RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

ordered  dinner  at  an  inn  and  then  set  forth  to 
find  the  Abbey.  It  is  one  of  the  oldest  in 
Scotland,  St.  Kenoch  being  Abbot  A.  D. 
1000.  The  place  was  the  chief  town  of  the 
middle  marches,  and  defended  by  castle  and 
numerous  towers,  and  was  often  the  rendez- 
vous of  the  Scotch  armies.  David  I,  that 
"  sore  saint  for  the  crown,"  enlarged  and 
richly  endowed  the  Abbey  in  the  twelfth  cen- 
tury. As  I  have  found  to  be  the  case  very 
often,  a  part  of  the  old  edifice  has  been  fitted 
up  and  used  as  a  parish  church  in  connection 
with  the  Presbyterian  Establishment.  At  one 
time,  some  }rears  ago,  one  of  the  "  private 
chapels  "  was  occupied  for  a  school  and  there 
Sir  David  Brewster  (a  native  of  Jedburgh) 
was  a  pupil,  and  also  the  celebrated  Mrs. 
Somerville,  author  of  the  "  Connection  of  the 
Physical  Sciences."  Her  father  was  parish 
minister,  and  near  by  stands  the  manse  in 
which  Mrs.  Somerville  was  born.  I  think  Sir 
David's  elder  brother  kept  the  school.  In  it 
also  the  poet  Thompson  and  Samuel  Ruther- 
ford received  the  rudiments  of  their  education. 
Some  parts  of  the  ruins  of  the  Abbey  are 
still  in  good  preservation.  There  is  a  Nor- 
man arch  over  the  doorway  which  forms  the 
principal  entrance,  which  has  been  much 


EXCURSION  TO  JEDBURGH          227 

admired.  The  workmanship  is  delicate  and 
beautiful.  Over  the  intersection  of  the  nave 
and  transept  rises  a  massive  square  tower, 
with  irregular  turrets  and  belfry,  100  feet 
high.  Considerable  sums  have  been  expended 
in  restoring  decayed  parts  of  the  building.  It 
is  greatly  to  the  credit  of  the  Queen  that  she 
is  much  interested  in  preserving  relics  of  an- 
tiquity, such  as  these,  and  the  Imperial  gov- 
ernment aids  in  some  cases  in  the  work  of 
restoration  or  preservation. 

In  this  Abbey  was  married  Alexander  III, 
in  1285,  that  monarch  whose  decease,  being 
childless,  gave  rise  to  the  dispute  about  the 
succession  and  the  rival  claims  of  Baliol  and 
the  Bruce.  The  spot  at  the  high  altar  where 
the  wedding  ceremony  took  place  is  pointed 
out.  The  castle  of  Jedburgh,  on  an  eminence 
not  far  off,  was  a  favorite  residence  of  the 
kings  from  David  I  to  Alexander  III,  and 
Malcolm  IV  died  in  it. 

In  the  lower  part  of  the  town  still  stands  a 
quaint  and  queer  old  house  which  we  visited, 
where  Queen  Mary  lay  sick  for  several  weeks 
on  a  time.  She  rode  forty  miles  on  horseback 
in  a  single  day,  which  threw  her  into  a  fever. 
It  was  curious  to  see  the  little  pent-up  rooms, 
the  narrow  stone  staircases,  the  antiquated  fur- 


228  RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

niture  still  preserved,  the  tapestry  bedstead, 
kitchen,  etc.,  which  now  would  be  considered 
hardly  worthy  of  the  humblest  family. 

The  people  of  Jedburgh  were  somewhat 
famous  in  the  wars  of  olden  time.  They 
have  still  preserved  a  flag  or  pennon  taken  at 
Bannockburn. 

Returning  to  the  inn,  we  partook  of  a  good 
dinner  and  then  returned  to  Cavers,  which  we 
reached  about  dark,  after  enjoying  a  most 
delightful  excursion.  I  found  Mr.  Douglas 
and  his  lady  deeply  interested  in  American 
affairs,  and  full  of  sympathy  for  the  freedmen. 
Their  hospitality  was  ample  and  I  shall  ever 
remember  my  few  days  at  Cavers  with  pleas- 
ure. I  wish  there  were  more  such  lairds  in 
Scotland.  But  I  must  add,  I  have  nowhere 
been  more  kindly  welcomed  and  hospitably 
entertained  than  in  that  country. 

EDINBURGH,  Jan.  8,  1866. 
Leaving  Cavers  after  a  delightful  visit,  I  re- 
turned to  Edinburgh.  I  have  none  but  pleas- 
ant recollections  of  this  city,  and  had  not  so 
much  been  written  about  it,  I  should  like  to 
dwell  upon  its  beauties  and  peculiarities,  and 
the  numerous  objects  of  interest.  Of  course  I 
visited  the  famous  castle  which  overtowers  the 


RETURN    TO    EDINBURGH  2 29 

'city,  and  saw  the  crown  jewels  of  Scotland, 
went  through  the  old  palace  of  Holyrood, 
climbed  to  Arthur's  seat,  walked  through 
the  old  cemetery  of  St.  Giles  and  saw  the 
beautiful  and  unique  statue  of  Walter  Scott, 
etc.  I  shall  always  remember  my  visit  here 
with  deep  interest,  the  very  successful  freed- 
men's  meeting  held  here,  the  acquaintance 
formed  with  the  ministers,  and  the  gener- 
ous sympathy  manifested  by  all  denomina- 
tions in  the  work  of  caring  for  and  elevating 
our  four  millions  of  manumitted  slaves. 

Yesterday  was  my  birthday,  and,  fortu- 
nately, having  no  engagement  to  speak,  I 
spent  the  day  quietly,  except  that  I  heard 
Dr.  Hanna,  the  biographer  of  Dr.  Chalmers, 
preach,  and  also  Dr.  Candlish,  a  Free  Church 
leader.  I  had  the  evening  for  reflection,  and 
found  I  had  much  cause  for  gratitude  to  God, 
and  I  made  a  new  consecration  of  myself  to 
him.  I  did  not  forget  to  thank  him  for  my 
domestic  happiness,  and  that  he  had  given 
me  such  a  helper  in  you.  How  appropriate 
were  the  lines  of  Addison  : — 

God's  bounteous  love  with  earthly  bliss, 
Has  made  my  cup  run  o'er, 
And  in  a  kind  and  faithful  friend 
Has  doubled  all  my  store. 


230          RECOLLECTIONS   OF   A    NONAGENARIAN 

I  sometimes  feel  homesick,  especially  when 
I  get  letters  from  you,  and  am  almost  tired  of 
change  and  sightseeing,  and  long  to  be  at 
home,  engaged  in  my  loved  pastoral  work. 
But  I  must  go  on  and  finish  my  mission.  I 
think  I  have  done  some  good,  and  I  am  sure 
I  have  found  much  pleasure.  From  here  I 
go  into  the  interior  of  Scotland  to  hold  freed- 
men's  meetings. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII 
VISIT    TO    ALLOA — STIRLING LOCH    LOMOND 

ALLOA,  SCOTLAND. 

Having  arranged  for  a  public  meeting  at 
the  old  and  famous  town  of  Stirling,  I  came 
here  and  preached  on  Sunday,  and  then  went 
to  Dunfermline,  and  interested  the  minister 
there,  and  arranged  for  a  meeting.  At  this 
place  (Alloa)  on  Sunday  evening,  a  gentle- 
man called  on  me  with  a  collection  worth  in 
New  York  $750,  and  offered  to  go  out  with 
me  the  next  day  and  call  on  some  wealthy 
persons.  My  Sabbaths  have  been  very  fruit- 
ful pecuniarily.  One  gentleman  who  sub- 
scribed $500,  paid  it  to  me,  and  added  $100 
more  for  himself  and  a  like  sum  for  his  brother. 
In  all  I  received  what  is  worth  in  New  York, 
with  exchange,  $1,000;  and  more  will  be 
collected.  Pretty  well  for  one  Sabbath  !  I  am 
and  have  been  very  well ;  have  not  had  even 
a  cold. 

I  enjoyed  my  visit  to  Stirling  exceedingly, 
and  had  a  very  successful  public  meeting  and 
a  liberal  collection.  There  is  no  spot  in  Scot- 
231 


232          RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A   NONAGENARIAN 

land  more  full  of  historic  associations  than  this, 
and  none,  except  Edinburgh,  that  a  stranger 
is  more  delighted  with.  The  heighten  which 
the  castle,  and  most  of  the  present  town,  now 
stands,  rises  from  the  midst  of  a  vast  level 
plain,  very  much  as  the  pictures  represent, 
Athens.  If  the  hill  were  swept  away,  the 
plain  would  resemble  one  of  our  largest  West- 
ern prairies.  I  ascended  to  the  castle  on  a 
beautiful  clear  morning.  I  never  saw  this 
view  equaled.  It  is  said  to  extend,  in  good 
weather,  one  hundred  and  twenty  miles.  On 
every  side  are  finely  cultivated  meadows. 
In  the  distance  are  seen  the  Grampians,  Ben 
Lomond,  the  Ochil  Hills  and  the  heights  be- 
yond Bannockburn,  while  the  river  Forth 
winds  and  twists  itself  up,  infinitely  more  than 
the  Connecticut  as  seen  from  Mt.  Holyoke, 
and  you  can  scarcely  see  an  acre  that  has  not 
been  part  of  a  battlefield.  Unless  Edinburgh 
be  an  exception,  Stirling  was  the  strongest 
citadel  in  Scotland.  The  field  of  Bannock- 
burn,  where  Bruce  defeated  the  English  and 
secured  the  independence  of  Scotland,  is  in 
full  view  from  the  castle.  On  another  side, 
at  Stirling  bridge,  Wallace's  famous  battle 
and  defeat  of  the  English  at  an  earlier  period 
occurred,  and  just  beyond  is  the  craig  on  and 


STIRLING  233 

behind  which  he  hid  his  army,  and  on  which 
is  now  erected  an  immense  tower  to  his  mem- 
ory. In  another  direction  was  fought  a  battle 
in  which  James  III  fell.  In  1304  the  castle 
held  out  for  three  months  against  Edward  I 
of  England  and  a  powerful  army. 

The  Stuart  family  made  the  castle  a  royal 
residence  and  it  was  a  favorite  abode  of  the 
Jameses,  several  of  whom  were  born  in  it. 
In  one  corner  of  the  palace  is  shown  the 
room  where  James  II  assassinated  the  Earl 
of  Douglas,  whose  body  was  thrown  out  of 
the  window  and  interred  in  what  is  now 
called  Douglas'  garden.  In  1797,  the  skele- 
ton was  found  in  digging.  In  the  battlement 
wall  of  the  castle  is  a  small  hole  through 
which  Queen  Mary  used  to  look  out,  and 
over  it  are  her  initials. 

On  the  spot  where  Queen  Victoria  once 
stood  and  viewed  the  scenery  are  carved  her 
initials  and  the  date,  and  also  those  of  the 
Prince  and  Princess  of  Wales,  who  were 
there  later.  On  the  south  side  of  the  castle 
is  a  cemetery  with  fine  statues  of  Knox,  Hen- 
derson and  other  reformers,  and  of  Ebenezer 
Erskine,  the  founder  of  the  United  Presby- 
terian Church,  and  an  exquisite  group  of 
statuary  representing  Margaret,  the  young 


234          RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

female  martyr  who  was  tied  to  a  stake  and 
left  to  be  overflowed  by  the  tide,  teaching  the 
Scriptures  to  a  younger  sister,  with  an  angel 
bending  over  them.  On  one  side  of  the  cem- 
etery stands  Greyfriar's  Church,  a  very  fine 
specimen  of  old  architecture,  which  has  many 
historical  associations  of  which  I  cannot 
speak.  About  a  mile  distant  from  Stirling  is 
the  old  ruin  of  Cambuskenneth  Abbey,  the 
tower  of  which  still  stands.  A  pleasant 
walk,  and  a  ferry  across  the  Forth  bring  one 
to  it.  Near  the  high  altar  were  found  in  dig- 
ging the  bones  of  James  III,  who  was  killed 
in  battle,  as  already  said.  Last  year  Queen 
Victoria  caused  them  to  be  enclosed  in  a 
stone  monument  erected  at  her  expense,  "  in 
honor,"  as  the  inscription  says,  "  of  the  re- 
mains of  my  ancestor." 

At  Dunfermline,  further  down  the  Forth,  I 
also  held  a  successful  meeting.  Here,  too, 
are  the  remains  of  an  abbey  and  palace  and 
tower  founded  by  Malcolm  Canmore  in  the 
eleventh  century.  The  ancient  town  was  at 
an  early  period  the  seat  of  government  of 
Scotland,  and  a  favorite  residence  of  the 
kings. 

The  king  sits  in  Dunfermline  town 
Drinking  the  blood-red  wine. 


LOCH    LOMOND  235 

The  palace  was  one  of  great  magnificence 
and  was  the  birthplace  of  Charles  I.  Charles 
II  lived  in  it  for  some  time  and  there  he  sub- 
scribed the  League  and  Covenant  in  1650. 
The  Abbey  is  one  of  the  oldest  in  Scotland, 
and  within  its  walls  were  buried  numerous 
kings  and  queens,  and  among  the  rest  Robert 
the  Bruce  in  1329.  When  the  workmen  were 
digging  for  the  foundations  of  the  modern 
church  building,  Bruce's  coffin  was  found  and 
the  skeleton  entire  with  parts  of  the  silk 
shroud.  The  remains  were  re-interred  under 
the  present  pulpit,  and  on  the  top  of  the 
square  tower  in  immense  stone  letters  one 
reads,  '^King  Robert  the  Bruce,"  each  word 
occupying  one  of  the  four  sides.  A  consid- 
erable part  of  the  old  Abbey  Church  is 
preserved  entire.  It  is  with  indescribable 
emotions  that  one  walks  around  such  edifices 
and  reflects  on  the  days  of  old  and  the  per- 
sonages and  scenes  that  have  been  connected 
with  them. 

While  at  Stirling,  I  improved  a  day  of 
leisure  to  make  a  hasty  excursion  to  Loch 
Lomond,  the  queen  of  the  Scottish  lakes. 
Taking  the  railway  train  about  seven  in  the 
morning,  in  about  two  hours  I  was  at  Balloch 
at  the  foot  of  the  Loch.  Here  a  small 


236  RECOLLECTIONS    OF   A    NONAGENARIAN 

steamer  was  in  waiting  on  which  I  embarked 
and  in  about  two  hours  and  a  half  was  at  the 
head  of  the  Loch.  Nothing  can  surpass  the 
scenery  of  this  beautiful  lake  which  is  about 
twenty-five  miles  long  and  at  the  lower  end 
five  miles  wide,  but  narrowing  down  at  the 
upper  end  to  a  mere  strip  of  water.  It  is  full 
of  islands,  and  from  its  shores  rise  high  hills 
and  mountains,  the  chief  of  which  is  Ben 
Lomond,  whose  head  is  often  lost  in  the 
clouds.  As  the  boat  plows  its  way  up  you 
often  think  you  are  at  the  end  of  the  route 
since  there  seems  to  be  no  opening  before 
you,  but  winding  around  behind  some  islands, 
she  finds  a  passage  and  moves  on.  *On  one 
side  is  seen  Rob  Roy's  cave,  where  tradition 
says  many  a  captive  has  been  confined. 
Near  the  head  of  the  Loch  is  Inversnaid, 
where  is  a  cataract,  the  scene  of  Words- 
worth's poem,  "  The  Highland  Girl." 

Robert  the  Bruce  is  the  monarch  who,  of  all 
that  have  reigned  in  Scotland,  is  most  vener- 
ated. Wallace  is  regarded  as  the  William 
Tell  of  this  land.  My  earliest  recollections 
are  associated  with  their  names  in  story  and 
history.  The  Scottish  Chiefs  was  a  favorite 
book  of  my  youth.  Hence  I  feel  a  special 
interest  in  these  scenes. 


CHAPTER    XXIX 

PREACHING  IN  LONDON  FOR  REV.  T.  BINNEY 

DR.  RALEIGH STRATFORD-ON-AVON BIRM- 
INGHAM AGAIN BATH 

LONDON. 

Passing  through  Edinburgh  on  my  way 
here,  I  called  on  Lady  Emma  Campbell,  sis- 
ter of  the  Duke  of  Argyle,  and  found  her  a 
very  pleasant  and  affable  lady.  On  leaving 
she  handed  me  a  contribution  for  the  freed- 
men.  While  in  Glasgow  I  attended  a 
meeting  of  the  Bible  Society  at  which  the 
Duke  of  Argyle  presided,  and  he  made  an 
able  address.  On  my  way  to  London,  via 
Liverpool,  I  preached  for  the  freedmen  at  the 
latter  place,  and  am  to  spend  several  weeks 
in  England,  preaching  on  Sundays  for  the 
freedmen,  and  speaking  on  week  evenings  at 
public  meetings.  My  engagement  with  the 
Missionary  Association  will  close  in  Febru- 
ary, and  I  have  written  them  that  I  wish  to 
make  an  excursion  on  the  continent,  and  they 
must  send  some  one  to  take  up  the  work  in 
my  place. 

From  here   I   have  remitted  to  New  York 
23? 


238  RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

$1,500  which,  with  $3,000  sent  a  few  days 
ago  from  Edinburgh,  will  make,  with  what 
previously  has  been  remitted,  about  $6,750; 
and  there  will  be  probably  half  as  much 
more.  This,  I  think,  is  doing  pretty  well 
for  the  short  time  spent  in  Scotland.  Sec- 
retary Strieby  writes  me  that  the  Commit- 
tee of  the  Association  are  highly  gratified 
with  my  success,  and  perfectly  satisfied  with 
my  work.  This,  of  course,  is  very  pleasant. 
The  people  here  think  I  perform  wonders. 

Yesterday  (Sunday)  was  the  day  appointed 
for  simultaneous  collections  for  the  freedmen 
in  the  Congregational  churches  of  England 
and  Wales.  I  preached  for  the  first  time 
in  this  great  city,  in  the  forenoon,  in  Dr. 
Raleigh's  chapel.  He  was  one  of  the  Eng- 
lish delegates  to  our  Boston  Council  in  1865, 
of  which  I  was  also  a  member.  His  chapel 
was  crowded,  including  the  aisles,  and  we  got 
$560.  In  the  evening  I  preached  in  the  old. 
Weigh  House  Chapel  of  Rev.  T.  Binney, 
who  is  one  of  the  oldest  and  most  influential 
and  well-known  ministers  of  the  Congrega- 
tional Union.  The  collection  amounted  to 
$250,  making  the  amount  at  the  two  places 
worth  in  New  York  $1,100.  At  the  close  of 
the  service,  Mr.  Binney  complimented  me, 


PREACHING    IN    LONDON  239 

and  said,  "  He  made  out  a  capital  case,  and 
moved  me  exceedingly,  and  pulled  out  of  my 
pocket  more  money  than  I  had  intended  to 
give."  In  the  plate  was  a  note  from  three 
little  children,  with  a  shilling  and  three  far- 
things, "  for  the  poor  negroes."  A  little 
before  the  opening  of  the  service,  I  was  sit- 
ting with  Mr.  Binney  and  a  few  other  gentle- 
men in  his  study,  and  I  said  to  him,  "Per- 
haps you  would  like  to  have  me  precede 
my  address  with  some  more  strictly  religious 
remarks."  With  a  twinkle  in  his  eye  he 
looked  up  and  replied,  "  I  have  done  some 
little  preaching  there,  and  I  think  you  had 
better  enter  at  once  on  your  subject."  Of 
course  I  did  so. 

On  Saturday  next  I  go  to  Birmingham  to 
preach  for  a  church  that  postponed  its  collec- 
tion, and  the  Sunday  following  to  Manchester, 
for  a  similar  case.  On  Friday  of  this  week  I 
am  to  address  a  public  meeting  at  Tottingham, 
and  am  advertised  to  speak  on  Tuesday  next 
at  Bath,  to  the  congregation  formerly  minis- 
tered to  by  the  well  known  Rev.  William  Jay. 
A  letter  has  just  come  from  the  editor  of  the 
Boston  Recorder,  for  which  I  am  writing  a 
series  of  letters,  and  he  says  he  is  much 
pleased  with  them  and  is  publishing  them  all. 


240          RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

He  adds,  "  Rev.  A.  P.  Marvin  is  sitting  by, 
and  says,  '  the  letters  are  excellent,  and  much 
better  than  those  we  usually  get.' ' 

MONDAY,  8  p.  m. 

I  have  just  returned  from  the  monthly  tea- 
meeting  of  the  Congregational  ministers  of 
London  and  vicinity.  There  were  about  fifty 
present.  Mr.  Binney  presided,  and  introduced 
me,  and  alluded  in  a  flattering  manner  to  my 
address  in  his  chapel  the  evening  previous.  I 
was  invited  to  address  the  meeting  on  Ameri- 
can affairs,  and  I  did  so,  of  course  explaining 
the  case  of  the  freedmen.  I  spoke  for  an  hour 
pr  more,  when  a  vote  of  thanks  to  me  was 
passed,  and  of  sympathy  in  the  work  for  the 
freedmen.  This  will  open  the  way  for  more 
invitations  to  preach.  Mr.  Binney  handed 
me  $50,  which  he  said  had  been  contributed 
in  addition  to  the  $250  given  in  his  chapel. 

BIRMINGHAM. 

I  remained  a  few  days  in  London,  partly 
occupied  with  freedmen's  matters,  partly  with 
writing,  and  partly  with  sightseeing.  I  re- 
mitted to  New  York  what  is  equal  there  to 
$700,  and  also  $750  received  from  a  lady  to 
whom  I  wrote  in  Glasgow.  My  few  weeks 
in  Scotland  have  yielded  $10,000,  and  per- 


PREACHING    IX    BIRMINGHAM  241 

haps  more.  While  in  London  I  heard  a 
lecture  by  the  Lord  Chamberlain  (a  Congre- 
gationalist)  at  a  large  meeting  of  the  Friends, 
given  at  their  request,  in  which  he  vindicated 
the  Plymouth  Pilgrims  from  the  charge  of  hav- 
ing persecuted,  and  a  resolution  was  adopted 
accepting  his  views.  In  the  Crystal  Palace  I 
saw  the  bark  of  one  of  the  California  "big 
trees"  set  up  as  large  as  life. 

On  my  way  from  London  to  Birmingham, 
where  I  was  to  preach,  I  spent  a  day  at  Strat- 
ford-on-Avon,  Shakespeare's  town.  I  shall 
not  undertake  to  give  details  of  my  visit  there, 
since  so  much  has  been  written  of  the  place  ; 
sufficient  to  say,  I  saw  all  the  curiosities  and 
memorabilia,  and  passed  over  the  foot-path 
that  Shakespeare  trod  to  Ann  Hathaway's 
cottage.  She  was  the  village  belle  and 
afterwards  Shakespeare's  wife.  Everything 
in  the  cottage  remains  as  it  was  in  their 
day. 

I  preached  here  (Birmingham)  on  Sunday 
morning  in  what  was  J.  A.  James'  Chapel, 
now  Dr.  Dale's,  and  received  $500.  In  the 
evening  I  addressed  an  immense  audience  in 
what  resembled  a  theatre  with  two  galleries, 
one  above  the  other,  crowded  full.  I  did  not 
learn  what  was  the  pecuniary  response.  On 
16 


242  RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

Monday,  as  I  had  two  days  at  command,  I 
resolved  to  run  up  to  Litchfield  to  see  the  fine 
cathedral  of  which  I  had  heard  much.  My 
trip  to  Litchfield  cost  me  only  one  and  three 
pence,  third  class.  The  cathedral  has  two  of 
the  finest  spires  in  the  kingdom  and  some 
very  beautifhl  statues  ;  one  by  Chantry  on  the 
tomb  of  two  children,  perfectly  exquisite  and 
lifelike.  I  saw  the  house  old  Dr.  Johnson  was 
born  in,  and  there  is  a  fine  statue  of  him. 
There  Dr.  Darwin  wrote  "Zoomania."  There 
is  the  free  school  in  which  Johnson,  Garrick, 
Addison,  and  other  eminent  men  received 
the  rudiments  of  their  education.  Gloucester 
being  on  my  way  to  Bath,  I  stopped  there  to 
spend  the  night,  and  the  next  day  to  see 
another  very  grand  cathedral,  not  so  beauti- 
ful as  that  at  Litchfield,  but  more  imposing 
and  massive.  It  has  the  highest  square  tower 
in  England,  225  feet,  and  from  the  top  is  a 
magnificent  view.  It  has  the  largest  window 
in  England,  and  is  old  (1445)  and  fine.  The 
window  is  eighty-seven  feet  high  and  thirty- 
five  wide,  and  contains  one  ton  and  fifteen 
hundred  weight  of  glass.  The  deanery  is 
the  oldest  standing  house  in  the  kingdom. 
Here  George  Whitefield  and  Robert  Raikes 
were  born.  The  house  still  stands  in  which 


BATH  243 

Bishop  Hooper  slept  the  night  before  he  was 
burned.  In  a  couple  of  hours  I  reached  here 
and  was  entertained  by  an  ardent  friend  of 
the  freedmen,  who  had  arranged  for  the  meet- 
ing I  was  to  address. 

Bath  is  a  great  watering-place  and  one  of 
the  most  beautiful  of  cities.  Here  the  cele- 
brated William  Jay  was  a  minister.  I  expect 
to  have  a  meeting  in  Bristol,  and  shall  visit 
Salisbury  and  Winchester  on  my  way  back 
to  London,  and  see  two  more  of  the  finest  of 
the  numerous  cathedrals.  I  am  to  speak  at 
Manchester  again  next  Sabbath,  and  attend  a 
meeting  somewhere  every  evening  of  the  fol- 
lowing week.  So  you  see  I  -work  as  well  as 
see  sights. 


CHAPTER    XXX 

MEETING    AT    BATH  —  CATHEDRALS COWPER 

AND    NEWTON DODDRIDGE 

MANCHESTER,  Jan.  27,  1866. 
I  wrote  you  last  from  Bath.  Well,  on  Tues- 
day evening  I  addressed  a  public  meeting 
there  for  an  hour  or  more  with  much  freedom 
and,  I  was  told,  with  good  effect.  I  was  inter- 
rupted by  a  southern  sympathizer  and  pro- 
slavery  man,  who  disputed  some  of  my  state- 
ments; but  I  was  not  discomposed,  and  was 
ready  for  him.  I  triumphantly  maintained 
my  position,  and  was  sustained  by  a  hearty 
vote  of  thanks  by  the  meeting,  and  was  en- 
abled thus  to  say  some  things.that  I  wished  to 
state.  The  next  morning  before  light  I  took 
the  train  for  Salisbury,  and  spent  the  fore- 
noon at  the  cathedral,  one  of  the  most  perfect 
in  England,  and  walked  about  the  town.  I 
then  ran  down  by  rail  almost  to  Southampton, 
and  reached  Winchester,  where  is  another 
grand  cathedral,  a  hospital  one  thousand  four 
hundred  years  old,  and  a  school  of  about  the 
same  date.  Winchester  was  one  of  the  first 
244 


COWPER    AND    NEWTON  245 

settled  towns  in  England,  and  there  Alfred 
the  Great  and  Canute  are  buried.  It  was  for 
a  long  time  the  capital  of  England.  The 
architecture  of  the  cathedral  is  old  Norman. 
So  you  see  that  from  Monday  morning  of 
this  week,  I  went  from  Birmingham  via 
Litchtield,  Gloucester,  Bath,  Salisbury,  and 
Winchester  to  London,  and  saw  four  of  the 
finest  of  the  English  cathedrals  ! 

On  mv  way  here  from  London,  I  passed 
through  Buckinghamshire,  which  county  has 
been  the  residence  of  many  eminent  men,  as 
Milton,  Hampden,  Herschell,  John  Newton, 
Cowper,  etc.  I  stopped  at  Olney  for  a  time, 
the  residence  of  one  of  England's  sweetest 
poets,  Cowper.  I  found  the  house  in  which 
the  poet  lived  with  Mrs.  Unwin,  and  was 
kindly  permitted  to  visit  the  rooms  which  he 
occupied,  and  was  pointed  especially  to  the 
one  where  he  kept,  and  amused  himself  with, 
his  pet  hares.  Behind  the  house,  in  Cowper's 
day,  were  the  garden  and  the  summer-house 
where  he  used  to  sit,  and  often  met  his  friend, 
Rev.  John  Newton.  Like  all  such  places 
that  I  have  visited,  the  walls,  seats,  etc.,  are 
covered,  every  inch,  with  names  and  among 
the  rest  are  those  of  Lord  Macaulay,  Baptist 
Noel,  and  George  B.  Cheever.  Adjoining  the 


246  RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

garden  is  an  orchard  which  separates  it  from 
the  vicarage  in  which  Newton  lived.  This  is 
called  the  "  Guinea  Orchard"  because  Cow- 
per  paid  a  guinea  a  year  for  the  privilege  of 
crossing  it  at  his  pleasure  for  intercourse  with 
Newton. 

Passing  the  vicarage,  one  comes,  in  a  few 
hundred  yards,  to  the  church  where  Newton 
officiated.  It  is  a  fine,  spacious,  stone  edi- 
fice, with  a  tall  and  graceful  spire,  and  has  a 
chime  of  bells  of  remarkably  fine  tone  and 
harmony.  In  the  churchyard  are  many  very 
old  and  moss-covered  stones.  The  church 
was  founded  in  the  thirteenth  century.  Not 
far  off  is  a  bridge  with  many  arches,  alluded 
to  in  the  "Task," 

That  with  its  wearisome,  but  needful  length, 
Bestrides  the  wintry  flood. 

The  vicinity  of  the  village  furnished  the  poet 
many  of  his  delightful  descriptions  of  rural 
scenery.  There  is  nothing  grand  like  that  of 
the  lake  district,  as  the  country  is  flat,  but 
there  is  a  quiet  beauty  that  is  pleasant,  and  in 
summer  the  trees  and  hedges  and  highly 
cultivated  fields,  must  be  very  attractive. 
Yardley  Oak,  of  which  Cowper  wrote,  still 
stands  at  some  distance  from  the  town. 


COWPER    AND    NEWTON  247 

In  Olney,  Cowper  "spent  nearly  twenty 
years  of  mingled  sorrow  and  joy.  There  first 
his  poetical  powers  were  fully  developed ; 
there  he  passed  through  unfathomed  abysses 
of  darkness  and  despair  ;  and  there,  under 
the  discipline  of  God's  hand,  and  the  guid- 
ance of  God's  grace,  the  most  precious  and 
perfect  fruit  of  his  genius  bloomed,  and  was 
ripened." 

It  was  an  unspeakable  blessing  to  the  poet 
that  he  was  there  associated  with  one  of  the 
most  excellent  ministers  then  living,  who  was 
in  every  way  fitted,  notwithstanding  the  slurs 
of  Southey,  to  guide  and  comfort  him.  The 
readers  of  Cowper's  memoirs  are  familiar 
with  the  remarkable  providence  that  brought 
them  together.  Newton  began,  but  never 
finished,  a  sketch  of  Cowper's  life,  after  the 
death  of  the  latter,  and  in  it  he  says:  "For 
nearly  twelve  years  we  were  seldom  sepa- 
rated for  seven  hours  at  a  time,  when  we 
were  awake  and  at  home.  The  first  six  I 
passed  daily  in  admiring  and  attempting  to 
imitate  him  ;  during  the  second  six  I  walked 
pensively  with  him  in  the  valley  of  the 
shadow  of  death.  He  loved  the  poor.  He 
often  visited  them  in  their  cottages,  conversed 
witli  them  in  the  most  condescending  man- 


24&  RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

ner,  sympathized  with  them,  counseled  and 
comforted  them  in  their  distresses;  and  those 
who  were  seriously  disposed  were  often 
cheered  and  animated  by  his  prayers."  With 
What  interest  I  walked  over  the  ground  so 
often  traversed  by  Covvper  in  his  visits  to  his 
friend,  looked  on  the  house  in  which  they 
spent  so  much  time  together,  and  tried  to 
imagine  how  he  appeared  as  he  set  off  on  his 
visits  to  the  poor,  I  need  not  say. 

Here,  too,  it  was  that  the  "  Olney  Hymns" 
were  composed,  some  of  the  finest  in  our  lan- 
guage, and  so  descriptive,  many  of  them,  of 
Cowper's  varying  states  of  mind,  that  one 
must  be  perfectly  familiar  witli  his  history 
and  moods,  fully  to  appreciate  their  power. 
Southey  laments  that  his  genius  was  not  ex- 
ercised in  something  else  besides  devotional 
poetry,  while  under  Newton's  influence  !  But 
Dr.  Cheever  well  remarks:  "If  he  had 
never  written  a  single  line  beyond  the  four 
or  five  hymns  in  the  Olne3'  Collection,  begin- 
ning, '  The  Spirit  breathes  upon  the  Word,' 
'  Far  from  the  World,  O  Lord,  I  Flee,'  '  O, 
for  a  closer  Walk  with  God,'  '  God  Moves 
in  a  Mysterious  Way,'  and  'There  is  a  Foun- 
tain Filled  with  Blood,'  the  gift  of  those 
hymns  to  the  Church  of  God  by  Cowper's 


COWPER   AND    NEWTON  24$ 

sanctified  genius,  through  Newton's  instru- 
mentality, would  have  been  a  greater  and 
more  precious  gift  for  literature  and  religion, 
than,  perhaps,  all  Southey's  voluminous  writ- 
ings put  together."  It  is  to  be  feared  that 
Southey  knew  nothing  of  the  joy  and  grief  of 
Covvper's  religious  experience. 

Who  can  ever  tire  of  the  exquisite  passage 
in  the  Task,  under  the  title,  "The  Garden," 
beginning, 

I  was  a  stricken  deer,  that  left  the  herd 
Long  since  ;   with  many  an  arrow  deep  infixed 
My  panting  side  was  charged,  when  I  withdrew 
To  seek  a  tranquil  death  in  distant  shades. 
There  was  I  found  by  One  who  had  himself 
Been  hurt  by  the  archers.     In  his  side  he  bore, 
And  in  his  hands  and  feet,  the  cruel  scars. 
With  gentle  force  soliciting  the  darts, 
He  drew  them  forth,  and  heal'd  and  bade  me  live. 

How  noble,  too,  the  energetic  lines  in  his 
poem  on  "  Charity,"  in  which  he  gives  his 
first  utterance  of  his  abhorrence  of  slavery. 

Oh,  most  degrading  of  all  ills  that  wait 
On  man,  a  mourner  in  his  best  estate  ! 
All  other  sorrows  virtue  may  endure, 

And  find  submission  half  a  cure. 

*          *          *          *          * 

A  Briton  knows,  or,  if  he  knows  it  not, 

The  Scripture  placed  within  his  reach,  he  ought 


250         RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

That  souls  have  no  discriminating  hue, 
Alike  important  in  their  Maker's  view  ; 


The  wretch  that  works. and  weeps  without  relief 

Has  ONE  that  notices  his  silent  grief, 

He  from  whose  hands  alone  all  power  proceeds, 

Ranks  its  abuse  among  the  foulest  deeds, 

Considers  all  injustice  with  a  frown, 

But  marks  that  man  who  treads  his  fellow  clown. 

And  how  strikingly  has  this  assertion  and  the 
following,  been  verified  in  our  own  land  of 
late! 

Remember,  Heaven  has  a  revenging  rod; 
To  smite  the  poor  is  treason  against  God. 

But  I  must  not  quote  more.  It  was  with  spe- 
cial and  peculiar  interest  that  I  visited  Olney, 
not  only  because  of  my  admiration  of  Cow- 
per  and  Newton,  but  also  because  they  are 
associated  with  my  earliest  recollections  of 
home. 

My  mother  read  few  books,  and  among 
them  were  Cowper's  Letters  and  John  New- 
ton's Works,  and  these  were  always  at  hand, 
and  perused  and  reperused,  and  often  talked 
about.  The  latter  was  her  oracle  in  reli- 
gion, next  to  the  Bible,  and  hundreds  of  times 
have  I  heard  her  remark,  "  Mr.  Newton  says 
so  and  so."  With  what  deep  emotion,  were  she 


"JOHN  GILPIN'S  RIPK  "  251 

now  living,  would  she  read  what  I  could  say 
about  the  spot  in  England  of  highest  interest 
to  her,  where  Cowper  and  Newton  lived  ! 

After  Newton  vacated  the  parsonage,  it 
was  occupied  by  Lady  Austen  for  a  couple 
of  years.  The  door  was  still  kept  open  by 
which  Cowper  communicated  with  its  tenants, 
and  he  was  very  intimate  with  this  family. 
Lady  Austen  was  fruitful  in  expedients  to 
animate  and  please  Cowper's  mind.  It  was 
she  that  suggested  to  him  the  ballad  of  John 
Gilpin,  by  repeating  to  him  the  tale,  with  a 
merriment  and  humor  that  enchanted  him  to 
such  an  extent  that  he  declared  he  was  kept 
awake  nearly  all  night  by  laughter  produced 
by  the  recollection  of  the  story.  The  next 
day  he  put  it  into  poetry.  It  was  published 
anonymously,  and  was  recited  to  crowded 
audiences  nightly  in  London.  The  profits 
of  the  recitations  amounted  to  £800.  Newton 
wrote  him  that  his  "famous  horseman  was 
giving  infinite  amusement  in  London."  But 
alas,  he  could  only  say  in  reply,  "The  grin- 
ners  at  'John  Gilpin'  little  dream  what  the 
author  sometimes  suffers." 

My  lodgings  in  London  are  in  the  street 
next  to  Southampton  Row,  where  his  uncle 
lived  while  Cowper  was  apprenticed  in  that 


252  RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

city  in  early  life,  with  a  view  to  his  becoming 
a  lawyer  !  A  strange  lawyer  he  would  have 
made,  truly !  This  uncle  had  a  beautiful 
daughter,  and  her  charms  seem,  from  his 
biography,  to  have  made  a  deep  impression 
upon  him.  At  that  time  he  wrote  the  lines 
descriptive  of  himself,  beginning, 

William  was  once  a  bashful  youth  ; 

His  modesty  was  such, 
That  one  might  say  (to  say  the  truth) 

He  rather  had  too  much. 

His  last  letter  was  written  to  his  dearest 
friend,  Mr.  Newton,  and  in  1800,  on  the  25th 
of  April,  he  died  peacefully,  his  countenance 
settling  into  calmness  and  composure,  min- 
gled as  it  were  with  holy  surprise,  and  this 
we  are  told  "  was  regarded  as  an  index  of  the 
last  thoughts  and  enjoyments  of  his  soul  in  its 
gradual  escape  from  the  depths  of  that  inscru- 
table despair  in  which  it  had  been  so  long 
shrouded." 

About  one  o'clock  I  bade  adieu  to  the  inter- 
esting little  village  whose  name  is  so  widely 
known  from  its  associations  with  Cowper  and 
Newton,  but  which  otherwise  would  be  one  of 
the  obscurest  in  England,  and  set  off  for 
Northampton. 

The    ride  of   twelve    miles  from    Olney  to 


DODDRIDGE  253 

Northampton  is  by  an  excellent  road,  through 
a  fine,  level,  and  highly  cultivated  section, 
passing  several  villages.  I  found  the  last- 
named  town  to  be  of  far  more  importance  than 
I  had  supposed.  I  was  attracted  thither  by 
the  interest  I  felt  in  it  as  the  place  where  the 
celebrated  Dr.  Doddridge  was  settled  as  pas- 
tor of  a  Congregational  Church,  and  where 
he  wrote  his  excellent  "Expositor"  of  the 
New  Testament,  "  Rise  and  Progress,"  etc., 
and  maintained  his  Academy,  or  Training 
School  for  Ministers.  In  a  previous  letter,  I 
have  alluded  to  the  association  of  Cowper  and 
Newton  with  my  earliest  recollections  of 
home,  they  being  special  favorites  of  my 
mother.  I  remember,  too,  that  Doddridge's 
"  Expositor"  was  the  one  book  of  my  father, 
so  far  as  the  interpretation  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment was  concerned.  I  can  see  it  now  in 
several  old  volumes  bearing  marks  of  constant 
use,  as  it  stood  in  the  bookcase  with  glass 
doors,  or  lay  upon  the  table  of  the  family  sit- 
ting-room when  I  was  a  boy.  It  was  used  in 
family  worship,  and  its  "Improvements" 
were  read  in  connection  with  the  text.  How 
often  have  I  heard  my  venerated  father  quote 
"  Dr.  Doddridge,"  and  as  often  my  mother, 
"  Mr.  Newton  "  ! 


254          RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

I  was  fortunate  on  my  arrival  at  Northamp- 
ton to  meet  Rev.  Mr.  Arnold,  one  of  the 
successors  of  Doddridge  in  the  pastorate  of 
the  old  Independent  Church  ;  there  are  sev- 
eral other  churches  there  now.  He  at  once 
took  me  to  the  chapel  where  Doddridge  for- 
merly preached.  It  is  a  plain,  stone  building, 
without  belfry  or  spire.  It  has  been  length- 
ened to  double  its  original  extent,  but  the 
style  of  architecture  has  been  preserved. 
The  original  vestry  has  been  kept  intact, 
where  prayer-meetings  were  held  and  where 
the  good  man  used  to  spend  hours  alone  in 
meditation  and  prayer.  There  are  also  the 
plain  armchair  and  table  which  he  used ; 
and  hung  up  in  a  frame  on  the  wall  is  the 
original  manuscript  "call"  of  the  church 
extended  to  Dr.  Doddridge  to  become  its  pas- 
tor, with  his  answer.  The  pew  which 
Colonel  Gardiner  occupied  is  also  pointed 
out. 

On  what  is  now  one  of  the  principal  streets 
of  the  town,  stands  the  long,  two-story  build- 
ing, with  stone  front,  where  Doddridge  lived 
and  gave  instruction  to  his  students.  It  is 
used  at  present  for  business  purposes.  In  his 
day  the  place  did  not  contain  more  than  five 
or  six  thousand  inhabitants,  and  his  chapel, 


NORTHAMPTON  255 

which  was  then  in  a  central  position,  is  no\v 
considered  on  one  side  of  the  town. 

As  I  have  already  intimated,  I  was  chiefly 
attracted  to  Northampton  because  of  its  asso- 
ciations with  Doddridge,  to  whose  "  Rise  and 
Progress,"  instrumental!}',  I  owe,  in  a  great 
degree,  my  conversion,  but  I  found,  on  con- 
versing with  Rev.  Mr.  Arnold,  that  there  is 
much  of  historic  interest  connected  with  the 
place  and  its  vicinity.  About  fourteen  miles 
distant  is  the  famous  field  of  Naseby,  where 
one  of  Cromwell's  great  and  decisive  battles 
was  fought,  and  the  house  still  stands,  and 
was  shown  me,  in  which  he  slept  the  night 
before  the  engagement.  Near  here,  also,  was 
fought  an  important  battle  between  Henry  II 
and  his  barons,  and  I  walked  over  the  site 
and  saw  a  few  remaining  ruins  of  an  important 
castle — the  one  in  which  Henry  and  Thomas 
a  Becket  had  a  long  conference,  as  recorded 
in  history. 

In  the  town  I  was  shown  an  old  church, 
which  affords  the  finest  specimen  I  have  yet 
seen  of  rich  and  ornamental  Norman  archi- 
tecture. The  tower  is  very  fine,  and  the 
interior  arches  are  finished  with  much  care 
and  skill,  with  zigzag  ornamentation.  Ruskin 
once  visited  the  place  and  expressed  great 


256  RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

admiration  of  the  building.  It  is  superior  in 
some  of  its  parts  to  anything  I  have  seen  even 
in  the  cathedrals  of  the  period. 

Northampton  was  the  residence  of  the  well- 
known  Baptist  minister,  Dr.  Ryland,  and  near 
by  is  the  village  of  Kettering,  where  Andrew 
Fuller  was  settled,  and  where  Carey,  the 
pioneer  missionary,  lived  and  worked  at  his 
trade  of  shoemaking.  A  mile  or  two  distant, 
also,  is  the  church  of  which  Hervey  was 
rector,  and  the  village  where  he  wrote  his 
"Meditations,"  and  "  Theron  and  Aspasio." 

Leaving  Northampton  about  five  in  the 
afternoon,  I  next  day  proceeded  on  to  Man- 
chester, where  I  spent  the  Sabbath,  occupying 
two  Congregational  pulpits  in  pleading  the 
cause  of  the  freedmen.  One  of  the  congre- 
gations responded  with  a  contribution  of  £100, 
or  $500.  The  amount  collected  at  the  other 
I  did  not  learn. 


CHAPTER   XXXI 

COVENTRY REV.    SAMUEL    MARTIN OPENING 

OF    PARLIAMENT THE     QUEEN BUNHILL 

FIELDS    CEMETERY GREENWICH EXTEN- 
SION    OF     MY     TIME     IN     GREAT     BRITAIN 

NOTTINGHAM 

LONDON,  February  2d. 

I  reached  here  again  to-day.  From  Man- 
chester I  went  to  Birmingham  and  arranged 
with  the  secretary  of  the  Aid  Society,  to  hold 
several  meetings  in  that  vicinity  with  him. 
At  Coventry  I  spoke  in  a  large  hall,  being 
entertained  by  a  hospitable  family  of  Friends, 
and  fared  well,  as  usual.  In  the  morning  half 
a  dozen  ministers  were  invited  to  meet  me  at 
a  sumptuous  breakfast.  There  are  here  two 
fine  old  churches,  one  built  in  1440.  One  of 
them  has  a  spire  303  feet  high,  pronounced 
by  Sir  Christopher  Wren,  the  architect  of  St. 
Paul's,  the  most  beautiful  he  ever  saw.  We 
next  visited  Rugby,  the  place  of  Tom  Brown's 
school  days,  as  written  by  Hughes,  and  had  a 
good  meeting,  Dr.  Temple,  now  archbishop 
of  Canterbury,  in  the  chair. 

I  have  just  got  a  letter  from  Secretary  Strieby 
25? 


258  RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

of  New  York  that  upsets  all  my  plans  for  the 
Continent.  He  urges  me  to  spend  the  sum- 
mer here,  and  thinks  that  by  so  doing  I  can 
make  up  my  collections  to  $50,000.  He 
urges  strong  reasons,  and  says  that  no  one 
else  can  do  as  much  now  as  I  can.  The 
same  thing  is  urged  here  by  the  friends  of 
our  cause.  Mr.  Strieby  offers  to  go  and 
supply  my  pulpit,  if  necessary,  and  says  he 
shall  go  to  Homer  and  get  the  consent  of  the 
church  to  extend  my  time. 

LONDON,  February  7. 

The  Missionary  Association  at  New  York 
has  agreed  to  pay  for  the  supply  of  my  pulpit 
if  I  will  remain  here  longer.  I  long  to  be  at 
home  among  my  people  and  at  my  legitimate 
work.  On  Sunday  last  I  did  not  preach, 
though  urged  to  do  so  ;  I  preferred  to  rest. 
I  heard  Rev.  Samuel  Martin,  one  of  the  most 
spiritual  of  our  ministers,  preach  in  the 
finest  dissenting  chapel  I  have  seen,  beauti- 
ful and  spacious,  with  two  galleries,  and 
accommodating  three  thousand  people,  in 
the  most  genteel  part  of  the  city.  On  Mon- 
day, having  leisure,  I  visited  the  British 
Museum. 

I  happened  to  be  in  London  on  what  is  con- 


OPENING    OF    PARLIAMENT  259 

sidered  one  of  the  great  days,  the  day  when 
parliament  is  opened  by  the  sovereign  in  per- 
son. Of  course  I  went,  with  everybody  else, 
to  see  the  procession  move  from  Buckingham 
palace  to  the  Parliament  house.  The  queen 
was  alone  in  her  royal  coach,  the  Prince  and 
Princess  of  Wales  preceding.  She  had  eight 
cream-colored  horses.  I  had  a  good  view  of 
her  Majesty  as  she  leaned  forward  and  bowed, 
and  also  of  the  Prince  and  Princess  of  Wales. 
We  saw  the  third  generation  of  royalty.  I  en- 
deavored in  vain  to  get  a  ticket  to  the  House 
of  Lords.  There  was,  it  was  said,  a  grand 
array  of  peers  and  peeresses  richly  dressed 
and  glittering  in  diamonds,  with  ministers 
from  foreign  states,  among  whom  the  Turkish 
ambassador  was  one  of  the  most  gay.  The 
queen  looked  in  remarkably  good  health,  but 
was  very  sober  and  seemed  to  take  but  little 
interest  in  the  scenes  that  were  taking  place. 
Her  grief  at  the  loss  of  her  husband  scarcely 
seems  to  be  lessened  at  all  by  the  lapse  of 
time.  It  is  very  touching  to  see  her  true  wo- 
manly devotedness  to  Albert,  surnamed  "The 
Good."  It  is  said  that  after  his  death  she 
once  exclaimed,  "There  will  be  no  one  now 
to  call  me  Victoria  ! "  It  has  been  truly  said 
that  "  had  she  lived  in  the  mediaeval  ages  she 


260          RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

would  have  been  honored  in  her  lifetime,  and 
canonized  after  death  for  those  sublime  quali- 
ties which  are  so  conspicuously  illustrated  in 
her  life  and  character."  Amid  all  the  cor- 
ruptions of  a  court  she  is  spotless,  and  as  a 
mother  she  is  a  model.  Who  then  can  won- 
der at  the  devoted  loyalty  of  all  her  subjects? 
She  has  sorrowed  like  a  true  woman,  and  her 
great  grief  gives  her  new  grace  and  dignity. 

A  day  or  two  after  the  opening  of  parlia- 
ment I  obtained  from  Mr.  Adams,  our  minis- 
ter, a  ticket  to  the  House  of  Commons  and 
spent  an  evening  there.  I  had  pointed  out 
to  me  Gladstone,  D'Israeli,  and  other  distin- 
guished men. 

To-day  I  visited  one  of  the  most  interest- 
ing spots  in  London,  to  an  American  and  a 
descendant  of  the  Puritans,  Bunhill  burying- 
ground.  It  is  entirely  fille'd  and  contains  six 
thousand  and  ten  graves.  With  what  emo- 
tions of  interest  and  reverence  did  I  walk 
through  the  sacred  precincts  and  stand  be- 
side the  graves  of  its  occupants  !  Among 
them  I  read  the  names  of  Isaac  Watts,  Bun- 
yan  the  glorious  dreamer,  John  Owen,  the 
mother  of  the  Wesleys,  De  Foe,  author  of 
the  most  popular  boy's  book  ever  written, 
"Robinson  Crusoe,"  Drs.  Gill,  Ripon,  Fleet- 


BUNHII.L    BURYING-GROUND  261 

wood,  Dr.  Priestly,  the  martyrs  of  1684,  and 
others.  The  sexton  as  he  showed  me  about 
would  say  in  lugubrious  tones,  "There  lies 
poor  Bunyan,"  and  "  Poor  old  De  Foe,  there 
he  is,"  and  "  Owen,  poor  fellow,  that's  his 
grave  ! "  I  copied  the  following  from  some 
of  the  inscriptions  : 

The  world 's  a  city  full  of  crooked  streets  ; 
Death  's  the  market-place  where  all  men  meet ; 
If  life  were  merchandise  which  meji  could  buy, 
The  rich  would  live — but  the  poor  must  die. 

Another,  Dame  Mercy  Page,  wife  of  a 
baronet  : 

In  67  months  she  was  tapped  65  times  and  had  taken 
away  240  gallons  of  water,  without  ever  repining  or  ever 
fearing  the  operation. 

The  old  sexton  seemed  very  proud  of  the 
place  and  often  spoke  of  "our  having  here 
the  great"  so-and-so.  In  one  funeral,  he 
said,  there  were  seventy  mourning  carri- 
ages. He  said  all  Americans  came  there 
and  all  wanted  to  see  De  Foe's  grave.  But 
I  felt  more  interest  in  those  of  Watts  and 
Bunyan.  Afterwards  I  made  a  visit  to  the 
scene  of  Cowper's  poetical  and  humorous  tale 
of  "John  Gilpin,"  and  saw  the  inn  from 
which  he  started  on  his  famous  ride. 


262  RECOLLECTIONS   OF    A   NONAGENARIAN 

LONDON,  February  9. 

I  had  planned  to  start  for  the  Continent 
about  the  first  of  March,  and  after  a  short 
trip  at  once  to  leave  for  home.  But  all  may 
be  changed.  I  have  written  Dr.  Strieby  that 
if  I  am  to  remain  here  longer  he  must  fully 
satisfy  my  church,  and  have  it  understood 
that  the  proposition  to  lengthen  my  absence 
does  not  come  from  me.  I  am  not  unmindful 
of  their  interests,  and  if  I  stay  it  will  be  from 
a  sense  of  duty  only.  You  must  correct  the 
impression  that  you  say  is  felt  by  some,  that  I 
shall  not  settle  down  again  in  Homer.  I  much 
prefer  a  pastorate  to  any  agency. 

To-day,  having  leisure,  I  ran  down  to 
Greenwich,  the  great  naval  station,  and 
visited  the  famous  observatory,  the  hospi- 
tal, and  a  hall  full  of  naval  pictures,  por- 
traits, etc.  ;  a  very  interesting  place.  On 
my  return  I  found  awaiting  me  a  remit- 
tance of  $1,000  from  Scotland,  and  am  get- 
ting sums  to  send  to  New  York  by  almost 
every  steamer. 

I  spoke  in  Exeter  hall  last  evening,  where 
there  was  a  great  gathering.  Well,  I  see  it 
is  settled  that  I  am  to  continue  longer  in  this 
work.  The  conduct  of  my  church  and  the 
feeling  manifested  gratify  me  exceedingly, 


PREACHING    IN    NOTTINGHAM  263 

and  I  do  not  mean  to  strain  the  bond  between 
my  people  and  myself. 

I  preached  last  Sabbath  at  Nottingham, 
where  there  is  a  Congregational  college, 
and  received  $125.  I  have  two  meetings  to 
attend  in  this  vicinitv  this  week. 


LINCOLN OLD     BOSTON SCROOBY     AND     AUS- 

TERFIELD HAMPTON    COURT ARCHBISHOP 

OF     YORK      IN     ST.      PAUL'S ROTHERHAM— 

CAMBRIDGE BRISTOL    AND    MUELLER'S    OR- 
PHAN    HOUSES BRENTWOOD CHELMSFORD 

COLCHECTER ANTIQUITIES DR.     W.     W. 

PATTON    TO    SUCCEED    ME 

I  visited  some  places  of  deep  interest  to 
Congregationalists  :  Old  Boston,  Scrooby, 
and  Austerfield.  Passing  through  Lincoln 
I  stopped  to  see  a  fine  old  cathedral,  and 
reached  Boston,  where  the  celebrated  John 
Cotton,  afterwards  settled  in  our  Boston, 
Massachusetts,  once  preached.  From  this 
port  the  Pilgrims  originally  attempted  to  em- 
bark for  Holland,  but  were  arrested  and  pre- 
vented from  doing  so.  The  church  edifice 
has  an  extremely  high  tower  which  was  for- 
merly used  as  a  lighthouse.  Entering  the 
building  I  ascended  the  pulpit  stairs  and  stood 
for  a  few  moments  where  Cotton  preached.  He 
became,  as  you  know,  a  staunch  Congrega- 
tionalist  in  America. 

From  Boston  I  went  to  Scrooby  and  Aus- 
264 


SCROOBY  265 

terfield  and  stood  on  the  consecrated  ground 
where  the  fathers  of  Congregationlism  in 
America  worshiped,  and  then  took  a  stroll 
over  the  foot-path  to  Austerfield  on  which 
Bradford  used  to  visit  Scrooby.  At  Auster- 
field still  stands  the  little,  quaint,  old  stone 
church  in  which  he  was  baptized,  and  there 
I  saw  the  identical  font,  and  the  parchment 
record  in  which  his  baptism  is  inscribed.  I 
also  saw  the  house  in  which  he  lived. 

At  Bawtry,  the  railway  station  adjoining 
Scrooby,  I  became  acquainted  with  Charles 
Lawther,  Esq.,  who  was  occupying  the 
house  belonging  to  Lord  Houghton  (Monck- 
ton  Milnes,  the  poet),  the  lord  of  the  manor 
in  which  Scrooby  is  included.  I  was  invited 
to  spend  the  night  with  Mr.  Lawther's  family, 
and  was  very  hospitably  entertained.  I  found 
them  much  interested  in  Congregationalism 
in  America.  In  conjunction  with  them,  I 
arranged  to  have  a  stone  from  the  Scrooby 
mansion  house  sent  to  Chicago,  to  be  in- 
serted in  the  front  wall  of  the  new  edifice  of 
the  New  England  Church,  a  piece  of  Ply- 
mouth rock  to  be  placed  on  the  opposite  side 
of  the  entrance. 

Returning  to  Birmingham  I  spoke  on  two 
evenings  at  freedmen's  meetings.  I  have 


266  RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

engagements  to  speak  at  Peckham  Rye  and 
at  Camberwell,  both  parts  of  London,  and 
also  at  Bristol  and  Chelmsford. 

LONDON. 

I  took  a  run  to  Hampton  Court,  the  grand 
old  palace  of  Henry  VIII,  and  saw  fine 
paintings  and  beautiful  grounds.  I  was  in- 
vited to  act  as  chaplain  at  the  celebration 
of  Washington's  birthday  in  London,  but 
could  not  accept,  as  I  had  another  engage- 
ment. Deacon  Hawley  of  Homer  writes  me 
that  the  women  of  my  church  voted  unani- 
mously against  extending  my  leave  of  ab- 
sence. This  is  flattering  to  me,  I  am  sure. 
I  would  much  rather  be  at  home,  as  I  am 
working  so  hard,  but  March  is  the  best  month 
for  my  operations. 

I  did  not  preach  on  Sunday,  but  went  to 
hear  Rev.  L.  Bevan,  a  young  man,  at  Tot- 
tenham Chapel,  Whitefield's  old  place,  and 
was  much  pleased.  The  young  man  will 
make  his  mark.1  In  the  evening  I  went  to 
St.  Paul's  and  heard  the  archbishop  of  York. 
The  sermon  was  not  remarkable,  but  the 

iThis  has  been  fulfilled,  for  this  was  the  future  Rev.  Dr.  Bevan, 
who  once  labored  with  the  Brick  Church  in  New  York,  and  afterwards 
became  a  famous  Congregational  leader  in  Australia, 


CAMBRIDGE  267 

crowd  was  immense,  some  nine  thousand 
under  the  dome,  which  was  lighted  by  one 
thousand  gas-jets.  The  dome  is  one  hun- 
dred feet  high.  The  scene  was  very  strik- 
ing ;  the  frescoes  were  finely  displayed. 

Thursday  I  went  to  Rotherham,  near  Shef- 
field, where  is  a  Congregational  theological 
seminary,  or  college,  as  they  say  here.  I 
spoke  at  a  freedmen's  meeting  and  dined 
with  the  faculty  and  students.  I  also  had, 
afterwards,  a  delightful  day  at  Cambridge, 
the  seat  of  one  of  the  great  universities. 
I  walked  about  the  beautiful  town,  and  saw 
fine  paintings  and  statuary.  Here  Lord  Ba- 
con, Sir  Isaac  Newton,  and  others  of  the 
great  men  of  England  were  educated,  and  it 
is  especially  interesting  to  Americans  because 
John  Robinson,  the  pastor  of  the  Pilgrims, 
and  many  Puritan  divines,  were  students  here. 
There  is  here  the  finest  statue  of  Newton  in 
England. 

In  going  to  Cambridge  I  passed  through 
Huntington,  the  birthplace  of  Cromwell,  and 
St.  Ives,  where  he  once  lived  as  a  farmer.  I 
also  passed  Bradford,  where  was  the  jail  in 
which  Bunyan  was  confined  and  wrote  his 
immortal  Pilgrim's  Progress :  also  Sherwood 
Forest,  famous  for  Robin  Hood's  exploits. 


268  RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

There  is  something  of  interest  everywhere  in 
England. 

I  have  recently  been  to  Bristol,  where  I 
spoke  at  a  freedmen's  meeting.  I  was  the 
guest  of  a  family  of  Friends,  and,  as  usual, 
was  royally  entertained.  The  next  day  my 
host,  who  lives  near  Mueller's  Orphan 
Houses,  took  me  over  to  see  them.  There 
are  about  eleven  hundred  orphans,  and  Mr. 
Mueller  is  about  erecting  buildings  for  nine 
hundred  more. 

On  Saturday  I  went  seventeen  miles  to 
Brentwood,  and  preached  twice  in  the  Con- 
gregational chapel.  Monday  evening  I  am 
advertised  to  speak  at  Stoke  Newington  in  the 
northern  part  of  London,  and  on  Thursday 
at  Chelmsford.  So  you  see  my  hands  are 
full.  Dr.  Strieby  writes  me  that  the  com- 
mittee at  New  York  are  highly  satisfied  with 
my  labors  and  their  results.  This  is,  of 
course,  encouraging.  But  I  often  think  of 
my  own  congregation,  and  wish  I  could 
address  them.  I  am  much  pressed  for  time 
often  in  London,  distances  are  so  great  and 
days  so  short.  A  single  call  sometimes  takes 
half  a  day.  I  sit  up  frequently  till  u  o'clock 
at  night,  and  last  night  I  did  not  fall  asleep 
till  i  o'clock. 


COLCHESTER  269 

You  allude  to  the  President's  course  (An- 
drew Johnson).  It  is  injuring  us  somewhat 
here,  and  I  fear  the  interest  in  the  freedmen 
is  somewhat  declining.  My  correspondence 
is  very  heavy  with  you,  and  the  papers,  and 
all  over  the  kingdom. 

I  spoke  lately  at  a  meeting  where  Thomas 
Hughes  presided  (author  of  "Tom  Brown"), 
and  he  made  a  speech. 

LONDON,  March  21. 

I  went  down  to  Chelmsford  and  had  a  very 
successful  meeting,  having  the  whole  even- 
ing. I  spoke  an  hour  and  a  half  in  a  crowded 
hall,  and  received  what  in  New  York  will  be 
worth  $400.  I  send  a  paper  with  a  very  flat- 
tering report,  calling  mine  "a  masterly  ad- 
dress ! " 

The  next  day  I  went  to  Colchester  and  ar- 
ranged to  preach  on  the  Sabbath  and  have  a 
public  meeting  on  Monday  evening.  Having 
leisure,  I  went  to  Ipswich,  Stowemarket,  and 
Bury  St.  Edmunds,  the  last  place  made  nota- 
ble by  Dickens.  Returning  to  Colchester,  I 
preached  on  Sunday  to  a  large  congregation, 
and  in  the  evening  took  for  my  subject,  "  The 
Good  Samaritan,"  applying  it  to  the  case  of 
the  freedmen,  and  on  Monday  evening  spoke 
an  hour  and  a  half  at  a  public  meeting. 


270  RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

I  enjoyed  this  trip  very  much,  as  this  was 
the  region  from  which  came  the  first  settlers 
of  the  Massachusetts  colony,  Hooker,  Eliot, 
the  Indian  apostle,  Shepard  of  Cambridge, 
etc.  The  towns  thereabout  have  the  same 
names  as  those  in  Eastern  Massachusetts : 
Chelmsford,  Billerica,  Braintree,  Needham, 
Dedham,  etc.  At  Colchester  are  old  Roman 
towers,  castles,  etc.  Constantine,  the  great 
emperor  of  Rome,  once  lived  there.  His 
mother  was  the  daughter  of  the  British  prin- 
cess, Helena,  and  the  walls  of  a  church  she 
founded  and  endowed  are  still  standing. 
There  are  many  antiquities  here.  In  that 
section  I  found  a  town  of  Holbrooke,  indi- 
cating clearly  from  whence  came  my  ances- 
tors. 

LONDON,  March  28. 

The  Missionary  Association  at  New  York 
have  arranged  with  Rev.  Dr.  W.  W.  Patton 
to  come  over  and  release  me,  and  I  have, 
therefore,  decided  to  start  at  once  for  the 
Continent  to  spend  a  few  weeks,  returning  in 
time  to  go  with  him  to  Scotland  and  introduce 
him,  and  with  him  meet  the  different  Pres- 
byterian Assemblies  which  hold  their  annual 
sessions  in  Edinburgh.  My  people  at  home 
have  become  so  impatient  at  my  absence  that 


PLANS  FOR  CONTINENTAL  TOUR       271 

my  plans  are  changed.     I  expect  now  to  sail 
from  Liverpool  June  2  (D.  V.). 

As  so  much  has  been  written  and  published 
by  tourists  on  the  Continent,  I  will  not  quote 
from  my  correspondence  while  there,  but  will 
simply  give  an  itinerary  of  my  journey.  Most 
of  what  I  have  quoted  before  related  to  places 
not  often  visited  by  American  tourists,  or  which 
were  connected  with  my  work. 


CHAPTER  XXXIII 

TOUR  ON  THE  CONTINENT PARIS ITALY  AND 

SWITZERLAND 

I  left  London  the  second  day  of  April,  and 
crossed  the  channel  from  New  Haven  to 
Dieppe  in  France.  Awaking  the  next  morn- 
ing after  leaving  London,  having  had  a  quiet 
passage,  I  found  myself  for  the  first  time  in 
my  life  among  a  people  of  a  foreign  tongue. 
However,  I  found  the  knowledge  I  had  ac- 
quired, in  early  life,  of  the  French  language 
of  advantage  to  me,  and  I  managed  to  secure 
a  good  breakfast  at  a  hotel  near  by.  I  then 
took  passage  on  the  railway  for  Paris,  via 
Rouen,  through  Normandy,  and  found  the 
trip  delightful.  The  weather  was  like  June 
at  home,  and  my  first  view  of  La  Belle 
France  was  exceedingly  pleasant. 

I  spent  a  few  days  in  Paris  visiting  the 
principal  places  and  objects  of  interest,  as  the 
palaces  and  galleries  of  painting  and  statuary, 
Notre  Dame  cathedral,  the  Jardin  des  Plants, 
Bois  du  Boulogne,  Napoleon's  tomb,  and 
taking  a  run  out  to  Versailles,  with  its  mag- 
272 


ARRIVAL    IN    ROME  273 

nificent  palace  and  paintings,  the  cottage  of 
Madame  de  Maintenon,  etc. 

From  Paris  I  went  south  by  rail,  and  then 
crossed  the  Alps  by  the  Mont  Cenis  pass,  the 
tunnel  not  then  being  constructed,  to  Turin, 
the  former  capital  of  Savoy.  From  thence  I 
proceeded  to  Milan,  with  its  splendid  cathe- 
dral of  many  spires  and  hundreds  of  statues, 
visited  some  galleries  of  paintings  and  savv 
the  original  of  Leonardo  da  Vinci's  "  Last 
Supper." 

Bologna  was  the  next  stopping  place  and 
then  Florence.  And  what  shall  I  say  of  the 
few  days  there,  the  seat  of  so  much  art  and 
culture  and  with  such  a  history?  It  would 
require  volumes  to  describe  the  extensive  art 
galleries,  the  famous  Duomo,  or  cathedral, 
whose  dome  suggested  that  of  St.  Peter's  at 
Rome,  the  Campanile  and  Baptistry,  with  its 
carved  bronze  doors,  and  the  wondrous  scen- 
ery of  the  place. 

Taking  the  railway  again,  I  reached  Pisa, 
with  its  leaning  tower,  which  I  ascended,  and 
its  Campo  Santo,  and  church  ;  then  to  Leg- 
horn, and  at  last  to  Rome.  I  cannot  describe 
the  sensation  I  felt,  when,  on  reaching  the 
station,  I  heard  the  conductor  cry  out, 
41  ROMA  !  "  Could  it  be  that  I  was  dreaming, 

18 


274          RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

or  was  I  really  at  last  in  the  ancient  capital  of 
the  world,  of  which  I  had  read  so  much  in 
history  and  the  descriptions  of  travelers?  But 
I  soon  woke  to  the  fact  that  I  was  really  there 
and  to  the  anticipation  of  the  sights  that  were 
to  break  upon  me  in  that  city.  I  spent  some 
eight  days  where  months  and  years  would  be 
required  to  exhaust  the  wonders  of  the  city. 
Of  course  I  visited  St.  Peter's  and  climbed  up 
into  its  dome ;  saw  the  statue  of  St.  Peter, 
whose  brazen  toe  has  been  so  reduced  in  size 
by  the  kisses  of  devout  Catholics  ;  entered  the 
Vatican  and  roamed  through  the  rooms  filled 
with  paintings  and  statuary  ;  saw  Raphael's 
great  painting  of  the  Last  Judgment,  and 
spent  no  little  time  in  the  numerous  galleries 
of  art  in  the  city.  The  Forum,  Capitoline 
Hill,  the  Colosseum,  the  arches  of  Titus  and 
Constantine,  and  the  Catacombs,  each  and 
all  claimed  a  visit,  and  especially  I  was 
interested  at  the  church  of  St.  John  Lateran, 
where  Luther  climbed  the  stairs  on  his  knees 
and  first  realized  that  we  are  justified  by  faith 
and  not  by  works. 

From  Rome  I  next  went  to  Naples,  with  its 
unequaled  bay  of  crescent  shape,  and  near  by 
the  great  volcano  of  Vesuvius,  which  I  as- 
cended and  then  descended  into  its  crater, 


ASCENDING   THE   ALPS  275 

which  was  then  undisturbed.  At  the  foot  of 
the  mountain  I  wandered  through  the  streets 
of  Pompeii,  built  more  than  twenty  centuries 
before  and  then  being  excavated.  In  the 
museum  I  was  also  much  interested  by  the 
vast  number  of  antiquities  that  were  preserved 
there,  rescued  from  the  ruins  of  Pompeii.  It 
was  astonishirfg  to  see  how  many  household 
and  other  articles  there  resembled  those  now 
in  use. 

At  Naples,  which  was  the  extreme  point  of 
my  journey,  I  embarked  on  a  steamer,  and 
reached  Genoa,  the  city  of  marble  palaces, 
where  there  is  a  fine  large  statue  of  Co- 
lumbus. Here  are  manufactured  beautiful 
cameos,  some  specimens  of  which  I  obtained. 
From  Genoa  I  again  reached  Milan,  a'nd  from 
there  proceeded  to  the  beautiful  Lago  Maggi- 
ore,  which  I  crossed  to  the  foot  of  the  Alps, 
and  the  entrance  to  the  wonderful  St.  Gothard 
pass,  which  Napoleon  constructed  for  his 
army  to  invade  Italy.  The  tunnel  for  the 
railway,  since  constructed,  was  not  then  in 
existence.  We  began  the  ascent  by  diligence 
until  we  reached  the  snow  level,  and  there 
took  sledges  over  the  summit.  We  passed  the 
famous  Hospice  of  St.  Bernard,  and  descend- 
ing on  the  other  side  of  the  Alps,  we  reached 


276          RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

the  plain  and  saw  the  spot  where,  tradition 
says,  William  Tell  shot,  with  his  arrow,  the 
apple  from  the  head  of  his  son  at  the  .command 
of  the  tyrant.  Crossing  Lake  Lucerne,  with 
Mt.  Pilatus  in  the  distance,  we  reached  the 
city  of  that  name,  where  I  spent  a  short  time, 
including  a  Sunday,  and  heard  a  Capuchin 
friar  preach,  clad  in  his  peculiar  costume, 
with  the  cord  around  his  body.  At  Lucerne 
is  the  remarkable  sculpture  on  the  face  of  a 
huge  rock  of  an  immense  lion,  which  has 
been  much  admired,  the  work  of  a  famous 
artist. 

From  Lucerne  I  reached  Basel  by  rail, 
where  is  a  celebrated  institution  for  educating 
missionaries,  one  of  whom  I  knew  in  Iowa. 
A  delightful  railroad  trip  from  Basel  took  me 
again  to  Paris.  And,  by  the  way,  I  noticed 
that  the  cars  in  Switzerland  were  constructed 
on  the  American  pattern,  instead  of  the  ones 
I  saw  in  France  and  England,  which  have 
separate  compartments.  Is  it  because  Switz- 
erland is  republican  like  our  own  country, 
and  less  aristocratic  in  its  ideas?  From  Paris 
I  hastened  back  to  London  to  join  Rev.  Dr. 
Patton,  and  with  him  to  attend  the  meetings 
of  the  Presbyterian  Assemblies  in  Edinburgh. 
To  accomplish  this  I  was  obliged  to  shorten 


RETURN    TO    LONDON  277 

my  stay  on  the  continent.  I  intended  to 
return  again  and  visit  Germany,  but  I  was 
not  able  to  carry  out  this  plan.  I  shall  now 
resume  the  extracts  from  my  letters  to  my 
wife. 


CHAPTER  XXXIV 

LONDON  AGAIN — JOINED  BY  DR.  PATTON— 
A  JOURNEY  TO  SCOTLAND YORK  CATHE- 
DRAL— DUKE  OF  NORTHUMBERLAND'S  CAS- 
TLE  MEETING  OF  PRESBYTERIAN  ASSEM- 
BLY  MEETING  AT  DALKEITH DUKE  OF 

BUCCLEUCH'S  GROUNDS — ROSLIN  CHAPEL — 
VALLEY  OF  THE  ESK TRIP  TO  INVERNESS 

EDINBURGH,  May  n. 

We  left  London  by  the  East  Coast  line  of 
railway,  stopping  at  York  to  see  what  is  con- 
sidered the  finest  cathedral  in  England,  unless 
St.  Paul's  in  London  is  an  exception  as  being 
larger  and  grander  but  not  so  elaborate.  But 
I  was  disappointed  with  it,  as  I  had  just  seen 
that  at  Milan,  and  St.  Peter's  at  Rome.  We 
found  it  very  interesting,  however.  We 
also  saw  the  noble  old  pile  at  Durham, 
massive  and  grand,  standing  on  the  very  edge 
of  a  vast  precipice  overlooking  a  deep  chasm. 

Leaving  there  we  stopped  at  Alynwick, 
near  Newcastle-upon-Tyne,  and  viewed  the 
castle  there,  the  splendid  seat  of  the  Duke  of 
Northumberland  (The  Percy).  On  reaching 
Edinburgh  we  began  preparing  for  a  hearing 
278 


MEETINGS    IN    EDINBURGH  279 

in  behalf  of  the  freedmen  before  the  Synod  of 
the  United  Presbyterians.  The  Monday  fol- 
lowing the  Assembly  of  the  Free  Church  and 
after  that  that  of  the  Established  Church  were 
to  meet.  I  feel  much  relieved  now,  and  shall 
fill  up  the  little  time  remaining  to  me  after  the 
Synod  meets,  in  sightseeing,  leaving  Dr. 
Patton  to  carry  on  the  work.  But  I  find  I 
must  give  up  my  proposed  return  to  the  Con- 
tinent, and  the  trip  up  the  Rhine  and  into 
Germany,  and  hurry  home.  I  have  taken 
my  passage  on  the  Cunard  steamer  Scotia 
from  Liverpool  for  June  second. 

EDINBURGH,  May  18. 

"  We  have  met  the  enemy  and  they  are 
ours."  Last  evening  Dr.  Patton  and  I  both 
addressed  the  United  Presbyterian  Synod,  by 
appointment,  and  we  carried  all  before  us  ! 
I  send  a  paper  with  a  meagre  report.  We 
fully  accomplished  our  object,  and,  amid  much 
enthusiasm,  the  Synod  adopted  a  resolution 
recommending  a  general  and  simultaneous 
collection  for  our  object  in  all  their  churches. 
This  will  prepare  the  way  for  the  Free  and 
Established  Church  meetings,  and  it  will  not 
be  necessary  for  me  to  remain  longer.  So  I 
am  about  through  with  my  mission.  Nothing 


280         RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

more  can  be  done  here  now,  until  the  other 
bodies  meet.  So  Dr.  Patton  and  I  have 
decided  to  take  a  trip  up  the  coast  of  the 
Western  Highlands  by  steamer,  and  passing 
through  the  Caledonian  canal,  reach  Inver- 
ness, the  most  northerly  city  in  Scotland. 

We  have  been  seeing  this  city  more  thor- 
oughly than  I  had  done,  and  have  held  one 
public  freedmen's  meeting  at  Dalkeith,  about 
eight  miles  from  here.  We  both  spoke,  and 
the  meeting  was  a  success.  A  committee  of 
ladies  was  appointed  to  solicit  subscriptions,  but 
I  do  not  know  the  result.  While  at  Dalkeith 
we  visited  the  grounds  of  the  Duke  of  Buc- 
cleuch,  and  his  castle.  He  is  the  largest  land- 
owner in  Scotland,  and  his  daily  revenue  is 
enormous ;  I  dare  not  state  the  amount  as  re- 
ported to  us.  At  any  rate,  it  would  enable 
me  easily  to  bring  the  year  around,  and  keep 
out  of  debt !  I  imagine  he  feels  no  embar- 
rassment for  want  of  funds  to  meet  his  neces- 
sities with  $5,000  a  day!  He  has  the  finest 
garden  and  grounds  in  the  realm.  We  were 
shown  about  the  grounds,  and  through  some 
of  the  endless  conservatories  where  are  grown 
all  tropical  fruits. 

From  Dalkeith  we  went  by  rail  to  Haw- 
thornden,  and  then  walked  down  the  valley  of 


THE    NORTH    OF   SCOTLAND  281 

the  Esk,  which  is  very  wild  and  romantic,  and 
reached  Roslin  Chapel,  the  most  exquisite 
and  delicate  specimen  of  mediaeval  archi- 
tecture in  Great  Britain.  Returning  to 
Edinburgh,  we  went  in  the  evening  to  hear 
Dickens  read  one  of  his  inimitable  stories, 
"  Dr.  Marigold,"  and  also  the  chapter  in 
the  "  Pickwick  Papers"  describing  the  trial 
of  Mr.  Pickwick,  which  convulsed  the  au- 
dience with  laughter.  The  largest  hall  was 
crowded.  He  must  have  realized  £500.  On 
Sunday  Dr.  Patton  preached  for  the  freed- 
men  in  the  forenoon,  and  in  the  evening  we 
both  spoke  to  a  very  large  audience  in  the 
Free  Church  Assembly  room,  on  the  religious 
aspects  of  the  freedmen's  work,  and  much 
interest  was  manifested.  This  is  probably  my 
last  public  appearance,  though  I  am  invited 
to  preach  in  Liverpool  before  I  sail,  but  I  shall 
probably  not  be  able  to  do  so. 

INVERNESS,  May  23. 

On  Monday  morning  Dr.  Patton  and  I 
started  on  our  excursion  to  the  north  of  Scot- 
land, as  there  would  be  a  week's  interval  be- 
fore the  meeting  of  another  Assembly.  But 
before  we  really  started  for  the  north,  we 
made  a  little  detour,  and  visited  the  Tros- 


282          RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

sachs  and  the  scenes  of  the  "Lady  of  the 
Lake,"  Scott's  most  popular  poem,  and  we 
found  his  descriptions  of  the  region  were  very 
exact  and  perfect.  He  was  in  the  habit  of 
going  over  the  ground  where  his  poems  were 
located.  We  saw  the  place  where  the  famous 
duel  of  Fitz  James  and  Rob  Roy  took  place, 
and  Ellen's  Isle  ;  crossed  Lake  Katrine  on  a 
small  steamer,  then  took  a  coach  for  five 
miles  to  Loch  Lomond,  through  which  we 
sailed  to  the  foot  of  the  lake,  from  whence  by 
rail  we  reached  Glasgow.  It  was  a  day 
long  to  be  remembered. 

At  Glasgow  we  took  the  steamer  on  the 
Clyde  to  Greenock,  where  we  embarked  on 
an  ocean  steamer  to  proceed  up  the  west 
coast  of  the  Highlands,  calling  at  Oban,  from 
whence  visitors  depart  for  the  island  of  Staffa. 
We  regretted  that  we  could  not  go  there,  as  it 
was  not  the  proper  season  for  it.  At  Corpach, 
beyond  Oban,  we  left  the  steamer,  and  rode  a 
mile  to  Bannerie,  the  head  of  the  great  Cale- 
donian canal.  There  we  took  a  canal  boat 
for  this  city.  The  scenery  on  our  route  from 
Greenock  was  of  exceeding  beauty  and  va- 
riety ;  the  mountains,  islands,  and  coast  con- 
stitute the  Highlands  of  Scotland,  so  familiar 
to  readers  of  Scottish  history  and  fiction.  The 


TRIP   TO    INVERNESS  283 

canal  is  sixty-four  miles  in  length,  or  rather 
the  canal  proper  is  twenty  miles  and  the  rest 
of  the  route  is  through  natural  lochs  from  one 
to  three  miles  wide  and  of  great  beauty. 
We  went  ashore  at  Foyers  Falls,  the  highest 
in  Scotland,  being  about  ninety  feet;  passed 
the  ancie'nt  palace  of  the  Kings  of  the  Scots ; 
saw  Ben  Nevis,  the  highest  peak  in  Great 
Britain  ;  had  delightful  weather,  and  on  the 
whole  enjoyed  the  trip  exceedingly. 

Inverness  is  a  large  town,  the  capital  of  the 
Highlands.  A  little  to  the  north  is  Cromarty, 
where  Hugh  Miller  was  born  and  spent  his 
early  years.  We  were  so  far  north  that  the 
length  of  daylight  enabled  us  to  read  a  news- 
paper easily  out-of-doors  at  10  o'clock  at 
night.  We  anticipate  great  pleasure  in  re- 
turning south  by  rail  on  the  east  side  of  the 
Highlands. 


CHAPTER   XXXV 

IRELAND  —  GIANT'S    CAUSEWAY  —  DUBLIN  — 

MENAI     STRAIT CARNARVON     OASTLE 

ACROSS    NORTH   WALES CHESTER LIVER- 
POOL  RETURN  TO  HOMER 

I  wrote  you  last  from  Inverness,  and  since 
then  I  have  made  quite  a  tour  in  Ireland  and 
Wales.  Dr.  Patton  and  I  left  Inverness  by 
rail  for  Glasgow,  via  Perth  and  Stirling, 
through  fine  scenery,  crossing  the  Gram- 
pian hills,  where  Norval's  father  "  fed  his 
flocks,"  as  we  used  to  shout  in  school  days, 
in  our  elocutionary  exercises.  So  I  have  done 
Scotland  pretty  well. 

At  Greenock,  the  port  of  Glasgow,  we 
took  the  steamer  for  Belfast,  Ireland,  and 
from  there  by  rail  we  visited  the  celebrated 
Giant's  Causeway,  a  very  great  curiosity. 
The  tradition  has  it,  that  it  is  a  part  of  an 
enormous  bridge  the  giants  of  old  time  con- 
structed to  unite  Ireland  and  Scotland.  You 
will  be  interested  to  read  about  the  locality  in 
the  encyclopedia.  After  exploring  the  cause- 
way we  returned  to  Belfast,  where  Dr.  Patton 
284 


CARNARVON    CASTLE  285 

left   me,   to  return   again  to    Edinburgh  and 
finish  up  with  the  Presbyterian  Assemblies. 

From  Belfast  I  went  to  Dublin,  where  I 
spent  a  few  days,  including  a  Sunday.  It 
is  a  splendid  city  and  has  many  fine  edifices. 
From  there  I  crossed  the  channel,  in  five 
hours,  tcCHolyhead,  and  thence  by  the  grand 
tubular  bridge,  one  of  our  modern  "  won- 
ders," crossed  the  Menai  Strait  to  Bangor, 
in  North  Wales,  at  the  foot  of  Mount  Snow- 
don.  There  are  the  ruins  of  several  old  and 
celebrated  castles  in  the  vicinity,  and  among 
them  that  of  Carnarvon,  where  Edward  II 
of  England  was  born.  The  Welsh  people 
were  very  tenacious  of  the  right  to  be  ruled 
by  a  native  prince,  and  to  satisfy  them,  Ed- 
ward I  sent  his  queen  to  this  castle,  near  the 
birth  of  her  son.  There  he  first  saw  the 
light  and  so  was  born  a  Welshman,  and 
when  he  came  to  the  throne,  the  Welsh  peo- 
ple's demand  was  satisfied.  He  was  the  first 
heir  apparent  to  the  British  throne  that  was 
created  Prince  of  Wales,  the  title  since  of 
all  the  eldest  sons  of  reigning  British  sover- 
eigns. 

Carnarvon  is  one  of  the  noblest  ruins  in 
the  kingdom,  and  its  walls  are  still  entire 
and  from  seven  to  nine  feet  thick  ;  there  are 


286          RECOLLECTIONS    OF   A    NONAGENARIAN 

thirteen  embattled  towers,  with  five,  six,  or 
eight  sides.  The  gateway  under  the  great 
square  tower  had  four  portcullises.  The 
town  itself  was  once  surrounded  with  walls 
and  round  towers.  I  spent  considerable 
time  exploring  these  ruins,  and  in  imagi- 
nation recalling  scenes  enacted  there  in  the 
past.  Carnarvon  is  a  great  watering  place 
on  account  of  its  vicinity  to  the  grandest 
scenery  in  North  Wales.  My  journey  across 
North  Wales  was  most  delightful,  the  scenery 
being  unsurpassed  by  any  I  had  seen. 

Reaching  Chester,  near  which  is  Mr. 
Gladstone's  residence,  I  lingered  a  consid- 
erable time,  examining  its  quaint  and  pecu- 
liar streets,  the  dwellings  and  shops  of  which 
project  over  the  sidewalks,  visiting  the  cathe- 
dral, and  walking  around  on  the  walls  of  the 
town,  from  which  there  are  fine  views  of  the 
surrounding  country.  At  length  arriving 
here  (Liverpool),  my  wanderings  and  labors 
in  Europe  are  ended,  and  I  am  looking  for- 
ward to  a  speedy  reunion  with  my  family  and 
my  congregation.  I  shall  be  delighted  to  set- 
tle down  again  to  my  loved  employment  in 
the  pastorate. 

Here  ends  my  correspondence. 


RETURN    TO    HOMER  287 

Leaving  Liverpool  June  2,  after  a  pleas- 
ant passage  of  nine  days,  I  landed  at  New 
York,  made  my  report  to  the  Missionary  As- 
sociation, and  hastened  to  my  home  in  Homer. 
I  was  most  cordially  welcomed  by  my  people, 
and,  I  need  not  add,  by  my  family.  Dr. 
Patton  sent  a  message  to  my  congregation 
saying,  "  You  must  treat  him  with  the  great- 
est respect  and  consideration  for  awhile,  so  as 
to  let  him  down  gradually  from  the  high  and 
commanding  position  he  has  held  here  !"  So 
ended  my  mission  of  eight  months,  an  impor- 
tant and,  I  hope,  useful  period  of  my  life.  It 
was  an  unspeakable  relief  to  throw  off  the 
responsibility  involved,  and  to  return  to  the 
more  quiet  labors  of  my  parish. 


CHAPTER  XXXVI 

RESUMING    LABORS   AT   HOMER XEW  CHURCH 

AT    CORTLAXD DR.     C.    JEW  KIT COUNCIL. 

AT  WASHINGTON  CITY— GREAT  REVIVAL, 
Of  HOMER REVIVAL.  IX  SYRACUSE SEC- 
OND VISIT  TO  CALIFORNIA CALL  TO 

STOCKTOHT REMOVAL   TO   THAT  CITY 

My  parish  at  Homer  was  very  extensive, 
embracing  not  only  the  large  village,  but 
several  miles  of  the  vicinity,  north,  east,  and 
west.  Some  of  my  congregation  came  from 
three  to  five  miles,  and  one  regular  attendant 
and  his  family  seven  miles.  I  soon  became 
again  absorbed  in  my  pastoral  work,  and  in 
addition,  as  my  church  was  one  of  the  lar- 
gest in  the  interior  of  the  state,  and  centrally 
situated,  I  was  called  to  cooperate  with  the 
agent  of  the  American  Home  Missionary 
Society  and  others,  in  the  general  work  of 
the  denomination  in  the  state,  as  I  was  v 
ready  to  do. 

Rev.  Lf.  Smith  Hobart,  whom  I  had  known 
in  the  West,  had  then  the  supervision  of  the 
society's  operations  in  the  interior  of  New 
York,  and  resided  at  Syracuse,  about  forty 

" 


COUNCIL    AT    WASHINGTON  289 

miles  by  rail  from  Homer.  We  together 
edited  and  published  a  local  monthly  religious 
paper,'  The  Excelsior,  as  a  denominational 
organ,  and  I  aided  him  in  organizing  some 
associations  of  churches  and  ministers,  and  in 
bringing  back  some  Congregational  churches 
that  had  either  stood  alone  or  had  been  con- 
nected with  presbytery.  I  was  called  upon 
for  consultation  and  advice  by  quite  a  number 
of  persons  in  the  adjoining  large  village  of 
Cortland,  the  county  seat,  who  had  become 
dissatisfied  with  the  government  of  the  Meth- 
odists, and  wished  to  form  a  Congregational 
church,  and  this  was  soon  after  accomplished. 
It  has  become  a  large  and  influential  one  with 
a  fine  house  of  worship.  During  this  period 
I  also  secured  the  well  known  temperance 
lecturer,  Dr.  Charles  Jewett,  to  canvass  the 
county  and  hold  meetings  in  every  town,  and 
he  did  very  effective  service. 

While  I  was  pastor  at  Homer,  I  was  invited, 
with  my  church,  to  participate  in  an  ecclesi- 
astical council  in  Washington  city,  D.  C.,  to 
adjust  a  difficulty  which  had  arisen  between 
the  pastor  of  the  First  Congregational  church 
there,  and  his  people.  I  attended  with  one  of 
my  deacons,  Mr.  E.  G.  Ranney,  as  a  dele- 
gate. Rev.  Dr.  R.  S.  Storrs  of  Brooklyn 

'9 


290          RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

presided  as  moderator,  and  the  object  was 
accomplished  and  harmony  restored.  While 
in  attendance  on  that  council  I  was  the  guest 
of  the  Hon.  S.  P.  Chase,  Secretary  of  the 
Treasury,  and  thus  had  an  opportunity  to 
make  his  acquaintance,  and  was  very  agree- 
ably entertained.  While  there,  I  had  an  ex- 
ample of  General  O.  O.  Howard's  conscien- 
tiousness and  adherence  to  principles.  One 
day  he  and  the  German  ambassador  dined 
with  the  secretary.  When  the  wine  decan- 
ter was  passed  around  and  came  to  the  Gen- 
eral, who  sat  beside  me,  he  declined  to  fill 
his  glass,  as  he  was  a  total  abstainer,  an  act, 
which,  in  the  circumstances,  impressed  me 
deeply ;  but  it  was  characteristic  of  this  noble 
Christian  soldier,  who  has  been  called  "our 
American  Havelock." 

There  were  several  special  revival  seasons 
during  my  pastorate  at  Homer,  and  one  of 
peculiar  power.  I  had  felt  for  some  time 
that  my  church  was  in  need  of  such  a  visita- 
tion of  the  Spirit,  and  had  prepared  a  sermon 
founded  on  the  charge  of  the  Spirit  to  the 
church  in  Sardis,  as  recorded  in  the  book 
of  Revelation,  3:1,  etc.  On  Saturday  the 
evangelist,  Rev.  J.  T.  Avery,  who  had 
held  a  very  successful  series  of  meetings 


REVIVAL    IN    SYRACUSE  29 1 

with  my  church  in  Dubuque,  called  at  my 
house,  and  I  invited  him  to  remain  over  the 
Sabbath.  He  did  so,  and  sat  with  me  in  the 
pulpit,  while  I  preached.  The  sermon  proved 
to  be  very  effective,  and  at  the  close  of  the 
service  I  introduced  my  friend,  and  stated  the 
fact  that  he  had  labored  very  effectively  with 
my  former  church,  and  I  proposed  that  he 
should  be  invited  to  hold  a  series  of  meetings 
with  us.  A  vote  was  taken,  and  he  was  en- 
gaged to  remain  as  I  suggested.  He  began 
his  labors  the  next  day,  and  continued  three 
or  four  weeks.  The  result  was  a  most  pow- 
erful work  of  grace,  and  an  addition  to  the 
church  of  nearly  or  quite  one  hundred  per- 
sons, and,  what  was  remarkable,  among  the 
converts  was  a  very  unusual  number  of  peo- 
ple quite  advanced  in  life. 

While  in  Homer  I  was  invited  by  Rev.  Dr. 
A.  F.  Beard,  pastor  then  of  Plymouth  Church 
in  Syracuse,  and  now  Secretary  of  the  Amer- 
ican Missionary  Association  of  New  York,  to 
assist  him  in  a  series  of  revival  meetings  in 
his  church.  I  spent  two  or  three  weeks  there, 
preaching  each  day.  God  blessed  our  labors, 
and  there  was  a  large  addition  to  the  church. 
It  was  a  pleasant  season,  in  which  the  pastor 
and  I  worked  in  perfect  harmony. 


292          RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

During  my  residence  in  Homer,  also,  I  was 
invited  to  deliver  an  address  on  revivals  at 
a  meeting  of  the  Evangelical  Association  in 
Boston,  and  it  was  afterwards  published  in  a 
monthly  periodical.  I  also  preached  the  an- 
nual sermon  for  the  Education  Society  in 
Boston,  which  was  also  published. 

In  the  summer  of  1869  I  again,  with  my 
wife,  made  a  visit  to  relatives  in  California, 
of  whom  we  had  quite  a  circle,  in  San  Fran- 
cisco, Oakland,  and  the  vicinity.  While  there 
I  supplied  one  Sabbath  the  pulpit  of  the  Con- 
gregational Church  in  Stockton,  which  was 
at  the  time  pastorless,  and  received  an  invita- 
tion to  become  its  pastor.  I  agreed  to  take 
the  matter  into  consideration  and  to  consult 
my  church.  There  were  strong  attractions 
in  that  direction,  as  it  would  bring  us  near 
our  numerous  relatives  and  friends,  the  cli- 
mate was  genial,  and,  moreover,  it  would 
seem  to  open  up  to  me  an  enlarged  and 
needy  field  of  labor. 

On  my  return  home  I  laid  the  matter  be- 
fore my  church,  but  they  were  unwilling  to 
release  me.  However,  they  consented  to  call 
a  council  for  advice.  The  council  hesitated, 
the  delegate  from  Syracuse  making  strong 
opposition  to  my  dismissal,  but  finally  they 


CALL    TO    STOCKTON  293 

decided,  for  the  reasons  which  I  presented,  to 
advise  that  my  resignation  should  be  ac- 
cepted. This  was  done,  and  I  notified  the 
church  at  Stockton  that  I  would  accept  their 
call  to'  the  pastorate. 

Removing  then  to  that  city,  I  was  in  due 
time  installed  by  council,  and  soon  be- 
came identified  with  the  Congregationalists  of 
California  in  their  work  of  evangelization  in 
that  great  state.  I  was  especially  interested 
in  the  movement  to  establish  the  Pacific  Theo- 
logical Seminary  in  Oakland,  and  was  happy 
to  aid  a  little  in  securing  the  grand  site  which 
it  now  occupies,  and,  in  after  years,  to  coop- 
erate in  founding  a  scholarship,  which  bears 
my  name,  and  also  to  contribute  something 
to  its  endowment  fund.  While  residing  in 
Stockton  I  made  a  very  pleasant  trip  to  the 
southern  part  of -the  state  and  was  delighted 
with  the  orange  groves  in  that  section,  which 
I  had  never  before  seen.  Taking  a  steamer 
at  San  Francisco,  I  proceeded  down  the 
coast  and  landed  at  San  Pedro,  the  port  of 
Los  Angeles,  and  after  a  few  days  in  that 
city  and  vicinity  returned  to  San  Francisco 
by  the  stage  route  through  the  interior,  trav- 
eling night  and  day,  the  railroad  between  the 
two  cities  not  having  then  been  constructed. 


CHAPTER   XXXVII 

RETURN      TO      THE      EAST ORGANIZATION     OF 

THE  NEW  YORK  STATE  HOME  MISSIONARY 
SOCIETY GROWTH  OF  CONGREGATIONAL- 
ISM IN  THE  STATE WORK  IN  NEW  YORK 

STATE 

My  very  pleasant  relations  with  the  Stock- 
ton church  continued  two  years,  when  another 
of  the  marked  interpositions  of  Providence  in 
my  affairs  again  unsettled  me,  and  called  me 
back  to  undertake  a  very  important  work  in 
the  Empire  state.  This  was  to  act  as  secre- 
tary of  the  newly-organized  New  York  State 
Home  Missionary  Society, -and  to  inaugurate 
its  work.  Rev.  W.  A.  Robinson,  for  several 
years  president  of  the  society,  thus  stated  the 
facts  as  to  the  organization  of  that  society,  in 
an  address  which  he  made  at  a  late  meeting 
of  the  society.  He  said  : 

Rev.  L.  Smith  Hobart,  who,  from  Syracuse,  exercised 
the  supervision  of  Congregational  interests  in  the  interior 
of  the  state,  had  been  recalled  to  New  York  from  motives 
of  economy  to  assist  in  the  office  there,  but  it  did  not 
result  in  enlarged  efficiency,  and  the  leaders  in  the 
central,  northern,  and  western  portions  of  our  common- 
294 


RETURN    TO    THE    EAST  295 

wealth  felt  that  a  different  mode  of  administration  was 
an  imperative  necessity.  After  no  little  conference  and 
discussion,  it  was  deemed  best  to  form  a  State  Home  Mis- 
sionary Society,  auxiliary  to  the  National  Society.  There 
were  peculiar  difficulties  in  the  way  of  doing  this,  partly 
because  of  the  notions  of  economy  already  alluded  to, 
and  partly  because  the  headquarters  of  the  parent  society 
were  within  the  state.  But  at  the  meeting  of  our  State 
Association  at  Rochester  in  1872,  such  an  organization 
was  effected.  Rev.  Dr.  L.  Ives  Budington,  of  Brooklyn, 
was  chosen  president,  Rev.  John  C.  Holbrook  secretary, 
and  Rev.  E.  Taylor,  D.  D.,  of  Binghamton,  vice-presi- 
dent. The  secretary  was  called  to  our  work  from  Cali- 
fornia, and  after  nine  years  of  effective  work  here  returned 
to  that  state,  where,  last  winter,  he  preached  a  birthday 
sermon  at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty-six,  of  great  vigor 
and  timeliness.  Only  two  of  the  first  board  of  trustees 
are  still. connected  with  the  society. 

Not  long  before  this,  as  I  have  stated,  I  had 
left  the  East  in  the  hope  of  spending  my  latter 
years  among  relatives,  in  the  genial  climate 
and  the  enjoyment  of  the  luscious  fruits  of 
the  Golden  State.  But  God  still  had  an  im- 
portant work  for  me  to  do  elsewhere  than  in 
the  simple  pastorate  in  which  I  was  then 
employed.  It  was  urged  upon  me  that  a 
vastly  wider  field  of  usefulness  would  open 
before  me  on  my  return  to  the  East,  for 
which  my  past  experience  .had  fitted  me,  es- 
pecially as  I  was  known  in  the  state  of  New 


296          RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

York,  and  had  become  acquainted  with  its 
wants.  The  path  of  duty  then  seemed  plain, 
and  I  resigned  my  Stockton  pastorate,  was 
dismissed  by  council,  and  with  my  family 
removed  to  the  central  city  of  Syracuse,  and 
entered  upon  my  new  work  in  1872. 

And  now  began  a  period  of  the  most  severe 
labors  of  my  life,  which  continued  nine  years, 
until  I  felt  that  my  advanced  age  required 
that  I  should  discontinue  it.  I  resigned,  not- 
withstanding the  protest  of  my  associates  that 
I  ought  to  continue.  My  official  duties 
required  of  me  a  great  amount  of  travel 
through  the  state,  the  supervision  of  the  home 
missionary  work,  the  supplying  of  ministers 
for  the  aided  churches  that  were  in  need  of 
them,  the  collection  of  funds,  the  reviving  of 
churches  that  had  declined,  and  as  far  as  pos- 
sible the  reclaiming  to  our  ranks  of  those 
which  had  been  brought  under  the  control  of 
presbytery,  and  the  organization  of  new 
churches  where  they  were  needed.  This,  it 
will  be  seen,  would  tax  all  my  abilities  to  the 
uttermost. 

The  Plan  of  Union  with  the  Presbyterians, 
heretofore  alluded  to,  had  operated  in  this 
state,  as  at  the  West,  disastrously  to  Congre- 
gationalism, and  prevented  Western  New 


GROWTH    OF    CONGREGATIONALISM  297 

York  from  becoming  almost  as  Congrega- 
tional as  New  England,  since  it  was  largely 
settled  from  the  latter  section,  and  it  devolved 
on  me  as  secretary  to  rectify  the  mistakes  as  far 
as  possible.  Rev.  Dr.  Robinson,  in  his  paper 
from  which  I  have  already  quoted,  says  : 

The  growth  of  our  denomination  in  this  state,  since 
the  organization  of  this  society,  not  only  in  the  number 
and  strength  of  our  churches,  but  in  the  quality  of  our 
denominational  life,  has  been  very  manifest.  Twenty- 
four  years  ago  there  was  no  Congregational  church  in 
Buffalo,  where  now  we  have  five.  There  was  none  in 
Olean,  Lysander,  Ogdensburg,  Oswego  Falls  (Utica), 
Cortland,  Corning  (Schenectady),  or  Newburg.  In  the 
following  places  where  there  was  but  one,  now  there  are 
two,  viz.,  Albany,  Rochester,  Middletown,  Binghamton, 
Lockport,  and  Elmira.  In  Syracuse  we  had  but  one,  now 
five.  There  has  been  increased  size  and  vigor  in  many  of 
our  churches,  and  the  associational  life  has  become  more 
fully  organized  and  developed.  Our  society  in  its  foster- 
ing care  of  the  weaker  churches  and  its  entering  upon 
new  fields,  has  done  not  a  little  to  bring  about  this  better 
state  of  things.  The  increase  in  the  giving  of  our 
churches  has  far  more  than  met  any  increase  of  expense 
for  administration.  Our  state  is  one  of  the  largest  mis- 
sionary fields  in  our  country,  measuring  by  population, 
need,  and  opportunity,  and  it  has  come  to  rank  third 
among  the  contributing  states. 

From  this  will  be  seen  the  importance  of 
the  new  field  of  labor  to  which  I  was  called 


298          RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

from  Stockton.  Of  course,  all  the  results 
mentioned  were  not  accomplished  during  my 
administration,  but  they  have  resulted  from 
it,  and  not  a  little  of  it  had  been  achieved 
while  I  was  in  office.  The  way  was  opened 
for  the  great  change,  and  the  foundations 
were  laid  for  the  results.  It  was  my  pleasure 
to  introduce  Congregationalism  into  Buffalo, 
Lysander,  Cortland,  and  Schenectady ;  to 
revive  a  defunct  church  in  Ticonderoga  ;  to 
prepare  the  way  for  churches  in  Utica,  Og- 
densburg  and  other  places,  and  to  bring 
back  a  large  number  of  our  churches  which 
had  been  drawn  into  the  Presbyterian  em- 

tt 

brace.  I  was  also  called  to  aid  ministers  in 
revival  work,  and  once,  through  the  agency 
of  Rev.  Dr.  Beard,  then  the  president  of  our 
society,  I  was  invited  to  hold  a  series  of  meet- 
meetings  in  South  Norwalk,  Connecticut,  his 
native  place,  and  a  very  extensive  work  ot 
grace  and  large  additions  to  the  church  were 
the  results. 

My  correspondence  was  very  laborious, 
and  the  typewriter  was  unknown.  I  rarely 
spent  a  Sabbath  at  home.  But  Providence 
favored  me  with  good  health,  and  in  all  my 
journeyings  no  accident  befell  me.  So  I  look 
back  on  those  nine  years  in  New  York  state 


WORK    IN    NEW    YORK    STATE  299 

as  being  among  the  most  fruitful  in  my 
ministry.  I  received  strong  testimony  to 
that  effect  from  various  quarters,  and  at  the 
last  meeting  of  the  State  General  Association 
and  anniversary  meeting  of  the  Home  Mis- 
sionary Society  under  my  administration  a 
very  flattering  recognition  to  that  effect,  pre- 
sented by  Rev.  Prof.  Tyler  of  Cornell  Uni- 
versity, was  adopted,  expressive  of  regret 
at  my  resignation  of  office.  In  closing  the 
record  of  my  work  in  New  York,  I  may  add, 
though  it  may  savor  of  egotism,  the  following 
letter  received  while  writing  these  "Recollec- 
tions," from  the  present  excellent  and  efficient 
secretary  of  the  State  Home  Missionary 

Society  : 

SYRACUSE,  N.  Y.,  May  24,  1897. 

DEAR  DR.  HOLBROOK:  It  gives  me  pleasure  to 
speak  of  your  important  work  as  the  first  secretary  of  the 
New  York  Home  Missionary  Society.  During  your  nine 
years  of  service  you  laid  the  foundation  for  the  large 
work  that  has  been  built  thereon  in  the  succeeding  years. 
Your  visitation  to  many  of  the  fields  is  still  remembered 
by  the  older  members  of  the  churches,  and  they  make 
affectionate  inquiries  after  you.  Your  wise  and  kindly 
counsel  is  still  bearing  fruits  in  a  number  of  churches, 
and  the  earnest  revival  sermons  preached  at  special 
meetings  held  to  aid  pastors,  are  spoken  of  with  much 
warmth  by  those  who  heard  and  were  benefited  by 
them. 


300          RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

I  am  sure  what  was  felt  by  the  Board  of  Trustees  of 
the  Society,  of  which  the  writer  was  a  member,  was  also 
felt  by  the  churches  throughout  the  state, — that  we  had 
in  our  secretary  a  man  of  deep  piety,  of  strong  person- 
ality, entrenched  in  stalwart  principles  and  with  high 
ideals  for  the  infant  organization.  The  present  secretary 
when  going  through  the  state  is  often  reminded  of  the 
words  of  the  Master:  "One  soweth  and  another  reap- 
eth.  .  .  .  other  men  labored,  and  ye  are  entered 
into  their  labors."  While  every  secretary  has  enlarged 
the  work,  all  of  us  have  been  reaping  the  harvest  of  your 
sowing. 

While  the  Lord  has  permitted  you  to  labor  in  many 
fields,  and  to  gather  a  rich  harvest  in  them  all,  I  feel  sure 
that  your  work  as  secretary  of  the  New  York  Home  Mis- 
sionary Society  has  been  among  the  most  fruitful  in  far- 
reaching  results.  Accept  hearty  congratulations  on 
added  years,  strength,  and  faculties  so  well  preserved, 
and  above  all  that  God  has  honored  you  beyond  most  men 
in  the  rich  and  varied  blessings  scattered  all  through 
your  long  and  useful  life.  Many  old  friends  in  New 
York  State  would  be  glad  to  look  you  in  the  face  and 
grasp  your  hand  once  more.  But  if  this  is  not  to  be  we 
shall  still  cherish  sweet  memories,  a  warm  interest,  and 
hearty  personal  regard. 

Believe  me,  yours  very  cordially, 

ETHAN  CURTIS. 


CHAPTER   XXXVIII 

PORTLAND,  MAINE PREACHING    IN  THE   WEST 

CHURCH REMOVAL     TO    CALIFORNIA    AGAIN 

RESIDENCE      IN      OAKLAND — FINAL      SET- 
TLEMENT   IN    STOCKTON 

At  length,  having  reached  the  age  of  73,  I 
found  the  labor  and  travel  devolved  on  me  too 
great,  and  I  decided  to  resign  my  position  as 
secretary,  to  be  succeeded  by  a  younger  man. 
I  then  supposed  my  active  service  was  about 
ended,  and  I  did  not  anticipate  again  en- 
gaging in  the  stated  preaching  of  the  gos- 
pel, much  as  I  delighted  in  the  work,  nor 
assuming  again  any  public  responsibility. 
But  I  was  mistaken,  for  I  found  God  had 
further  service  in  store  for  me.  Before 
returning  to  California,  where  my  wife  and 
I  had  planned  to  spend  our  closing  years  of 
life,  we  visited  her  brother  and  family  in  Port- 
land, Maine.  While  there,  being  asked  to 
supply  the  pulpit  of  the  West  Church  in  that 
city  for  a  Sabbath,  I  did  so,  and  to  my  sur- 
prise I  was  invited  to  continue  to  do  so  indefi- 
nitely, as  it  had  then  no  pastor.  I  accepted 
301 


302          RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

the  call  as  again  providential,  and  I  entered 
upon  the  service,  which  continued  for  about 
eighteen  months.  I  enjoyed  my  work  there 
exceedingly,  and  in  its  performance  had  evi- 
dence that  my  days  of  usefulness  were  not,  as 
I  had  supposed,  at  an  end.  The  people  as- 
sured me  that  my  labors  were  appreciated, 
and  I  formed  a  very  pleasant  acquaintance 
with  the  Congregational  pastors  of  the  city. 
The  church  was  much  revived,  there  were 
additions  to  its  membership,  and  it  has  since 
had  able  pastors  and  been  greatly  prospered. 
Portland  is  a  delightful  city,  with  one  of  the 
finest  harbors  in  the  land,  and  our  residence 
there  will  long  be  remembered  as  one  of  the 
pleasantest  episodes  in  our  history.  While 
laboring  with  the  West  Church  there,  I 
invited  Rev.  Dr.  Clark  of  the  Williston 
Church,  the  originator  of  the  Christian  En- 
deavor movement,  to  assist  me  in  organizing 
such  a  society  there.  It  was,  I  think,  the 
third  such  in  order  of  formation.  A  number 
of  its  members  afterwards  joined  the  church 
while  I  was  there. 

From  Portland  we  removed  to  Oakland, 
California,  as  we  had  planned  to  do  on  leav- 
ing New  York  State,  and  rejoined  our  circle 
of  relatives  in  that  place  and  the  city  of  San 


RESIDENCE    IN    OAKLAND  303 

Francisco  across  the  bay.  And  now,  surely, 
I  might  expect  to  settle  down  and  end  my 
days  in  otium  cum  dignitate,  after  my  long 
experience  in  such  a  variety  of  positions  in 
life.  But  no,  I  was  still  in  good  health,  and 
thankful  still,  if  the  Lord  should  so  appoint, 
to  do  a  little  more  service  in  my  loved  em- 
ploy of  preaching  the  gospel.  And  so  it 
was  ordered,  for  I  had  frequent  calls  to  sup- 
ply vacant  pulpits  in  San  Francisco  and  the 
vicinity.  This  I  did  for  the  First  Church,  in 
San  Francisco,  and  for  two  or  three  months 
for  Plymouth  Church,  and  for  some  little 
time  for  Olivet  and  for  Ocean  View  Churches. 
I  also  supplied  Union  Church  at  San  Lorenzo, 
near  Oakland,  for  about  twenty  months.  My 
old  friend,  Rev.  Dr.  Warren,  facetiously  re- 
marked, that  "  I  had  sought  to  retire  to  pri- 
vate life  in  California,  but  instead  had  found 
myself  plunged  again  into  the  very  vortex 
of  work." 

My  wife  and  I  enjoyed  our  residence  in  the 
delightful  city  of  Oakland,  and  its  refined  so- 
ciety, exceedingly,  and  while  there  I  sought 
to  identify  myself  with  all  the  operations  of  our 
denomination  in  the  state.  I  had  long  felt  the 
importance  of  some  organization  in  every  state 
for  the  relief  of  aged  or  infirm  ministers,  and 


304          RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

for  the  benefit  of  the  widows  and  children  of 
those  who  were  deceased  without  leaving  pro- 
vision for  their  comfort  and  support.  I  had 
secured  a  society  for  that  purpose  in  New 
York  state,  and  I  therefore  did  the  same  for 
California.  At  my  suggestion  the  "  Congre- 
gational Ministerial  Relief  Society  of  Cali- 
fornia" was  formed.  I  served  as  its  president 
for  several  years,  and  it  has  already  accom- 
plished its  end  in  several  cases  and  has  now 
a  considerable  accumulated  fund,  that  is 
gradually  increasing. 

After  a  few  years  residence  in  Oakland,  I 
removed  with  my  wife  to  Stockton,  where  our 
elder  adopted  daughter  was  residing,  and 
we  united  with  the  Congregational  Church, 
of  which  I  had  once  been  pastor,  and  were 
cordially  welcomed  by  its  esteemed  pastor, 
Rev.  R.  H.  Sink,  and  the  survivors  of  our 
old  friends. 

While  residing  there  we  were  permitted  to 
celebrate  our  golden  wedding,  in  1892,  the 
anniversary  of  the  fiftieth  year  of  our  married 
life.  A  large  company  assembled  at  the 
house  of  our  daughter  to  congratulate  us,  in- 
cluding not  only  members  of  the  church,  but 
other  citizens,  and  among  the  rest,  my  old 
and  genial  friend,  Rev.  Dr.  J.  H.  Warren  of 


BIRTHDAY    SERMON  305 

San  Francisco,  who  greatly  helped  to  enliven 
the  occasion. 

In  January,  1894,  I  preached  my  eighty- 
sixth  birthday  sermon  to  a  large  audience  in 
the  Congregational  Church,  a  copy  of  which 
I  have  appended,  in  this  volume,  as  a  fitting 
conclusion  of  my  "  Recollections"  of  the  past. 


CHAPTER  XXXIX 

SEMI-CENTENNIAL  OF  THE  DUBUQUE  CHURCH 

While  residing  in  Stockton  there  occurred, 
in  May,  1889,  an  event  of  very  great  interest 
to  us,  and  of  no  little  importance  to  the 
church  in  Dubuque,  Iowa,  of  which  I  was 
the  first  pastor,  namely,  the  celebration  of  the 
semi-centennial  anniversary  of  its  formation. 
My  wife  and  I  received  a  very  cordial  and 
pressing  invitation  to  be  present,  accompanied 
by  the  means  for  defraying  our  traveling  ex- 
penses, and  a  message  to  the  effect  that  "  we 
cannot  celebrate  without  you."  A  full  report 
of  the  exercises  was  subsequently  published 
in  a  thick  pamphlet,  illustrated  with  engrav- 
ings of  the  three  houses  of  worship  that  had 
been  occupied,  and  pictures  of  all  the  pastors. 
They  were  all  present  except  Dr.  Guernsey, 
who  was  deceased.  From  this  report  I  make 
the  following  extracts  : 

The  semi-centennial  was  celebrated  with  exercises  in- 
tensely interesting  and  full  of  joy  from  the  opening  hour 
to   the  close.     Great  preparations   had  been  made  and 
306 


SEMI-CENTENNIAL   OF    DUBUQUE    CHURCH       307 

great  expectations  were  indulged,  but  by  common  con- 
sent the  result  exceeded  all  that  we  had  hoped.  The 
homes  of  the  former  pastors  were  divided  by  the  full 
width  of  the  continent,  and  three  of  them  were  past 
seventy  years  of  age,  and  it  was  thought  doubtful  if  they 
could  all  attend.  Particular  solicitude  was  expressed  in 
reference  to  Dr.  J.  C.  Holbrook,  whose  residence  was  on 
the  Pacific  Coast,  and  who  was  in  his  eighty-second  year. 
Favorable  responses  soon  came,  Dr.  Holbrook's  being  the 
second.  The  reception  of  the  beloved  former  pastors  was 
most  hearty  and  affectionate. 

Sunday  dawned  clear  and  beautiful,  and,  as  the  daily 
papers  said,  it  was  truly  a  great  day  for  this  historic 
church.  From  9:45  to  10:45  was  given  to  the  Sunday- 
school,  at  which  each  pastor  made  a  brief  address,  and 
each  was  greeted  with  a  basket  of  flowers.  It  was  a 
delightful  and  impressive  hour.  Then  the  air  was  fairly 
electric  with  joyous  anticipations  as  the  pastors  took  seats 
on  the  platform,  Rev.  J.  C.  Holbrook,  D.  D.,  Rev.  Ly- 
man  Whiting,  D.  D.,  Rev.  J.  S.  Bingham,  D.  D.,  Rev. 
C.  E.  Harrington.  The  incumbent  gave  a  hearty  address 
of  welcome ;  then  followed  an  original  jubilee  hymn,  an 
old-time  anthem  with  many  voices  of  former  years. 

On  introducing  Dr.  Holbrook,  for  twenty-one  years 
pastor  of  the  church  from  almost  the  beginning,  the 
pastor  proposed  that  the  audience  receive  him  standing. 
Every  one  rose,  and  as  the  venerable  doctor  stepped  for- 
ward to  the  desk,  many  were  moved  to  tears.  Notwith- 
standing his  more  than  eighty-one  years,  he  is  a  man  of 
remarkable  vigor.  He  had  arrived  only  the  day  before, 
after  a  six  days'  journey,  but  displayed  no  tokens  of 
weariness.  From  the  opening  to  the  close  of  his  sermon 


308          RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

he  moved  forward  with  strong,  clear  voice  and  eloquence. 
His  text  was  Matt.  16:3,  and  his  theme  "  The  Signs  of 
the  Times." 

His  discourse  was  a  learned  review  of  the  hopeful  indi- 
cations which  everywhere  greet  the  broadening  kingdom 
of  Christ.  It  showed  that  the  speaker  was  not  a  despond- 
ent, looking  to  other  times  as  better  than  these,  but  that 
he  regarded  this  as  the  best  epoch  in  the  world's  history, 
well  along  toward  the  final  conquest.  His  sermon 
showed  that  he  had  kept  his  heart  young  and  fresh  and 
his  mind  fully  abreast  with  the  latest  scientific  and  relig- 
ious thought  of  the  age.  Happy  are  the  men  who  can 
thus  keep  the  sympathies  of  their  youth  and  prime  and 
grow  gracefully  old  !  Happy  are  the  people  who  can 
have,  for  years,  the  ministry  of  such  a  man,  and  who  can 
hear  from  him  such  an  address  and  behold  in  the  unfaded 
freshness  of  the  speaker  an  illustration  of  the  blessings 
promised  in  the  third  verse  of  the  first  Psalm  ! 

Then  follows  in  the  report  the  sermon  in 
full. 

In  the  afternoon  the  Lord's  Supper  was  celebrated,  the 
auditorium  being  filled.  Dr.  Holbrook  and  Rev.  Mr. 
Harrington  assisted  in  administering  the  rite  of  baptism 
to  some  new  members  and  children,  Drs.  Bingham  and 
Whiting  presiding  at  the  Lord's  table,  with  tender  and 
beautiful  words.  In  the  evening  occurred  the  meeting  of 
the  Christian  Endeavor  Society,  when  Drs.  Bingham  and 
Whiting  spoke.  At  7 130  the  house  was  filled  to  its 
utmost  capacity,  when  Dr.  Bingham  gave  an  address  on 
"  Still  Pressing  Toward  the  Unattained,"  which  was 
original  and  striking  in  thought  and  expression. 


SEMI-CENTENNIAL    OF    DUBUQUE    CHURCH       309 

This  address  and  others  are  also  given  in 
full  in  the  report. 

Rev.  C.  E.  Harrington  followed  with  an  address  on 
"  The  Heroic  Age  of  Congregationalism."  The  hymn, 
"Onward  Christian  Soldiers,1'  was  sung,  and  with  the 
benediction  the  Anniversary  Day  closed,  whose  memory 
will  long  endure.  On  Monday,  the  pastor  of  the  church 
read  a  historical  account  of  the  fifty  years1  existence  of  the 
church  to  another  large  audience.  After  the  reading, 
Dr.  Bacon's  hymn,  "O  God,  beneath  Thy  guiding 
hand,"  etc.,  was  sung,  and  Dr.  Whiting  gave  an  address 
on  "  Congregationalism  in  History,11  which  for  striking 
and  original  expression  is  rarely  equaled,  and  it  was  fre- 
quently interrupted  with  bursts  of  laughter  and  applause, 
its  quaint  humor  and  telling  facts  being  irresistible. 

Monday  afternoon  was  devoted  to  Reminiscences 
which  had  been  anticipated  with  much  pleasure.  Dr. 
Holbrook  had  been  named  to  open  the  floods  of  memory. 
He  began  with  an  account  of  his  coming  to  Dubuque,  and 
held  up  to  view  the  manuscript,  yellow  with  age,  which 
was  the  first  sermon  he  preached  here.  The  mice  had 
devoured  a  part  of  it,  and  he  remarked  that  they  perhaps 
got  as  much  good  of  it  as  those  who  heard  it.  There 
was  one  lady  present,  the  only  survivor  of  the  original 
members  of  the  church,  who  heard  it1  and  another  lady, 
the  first  convert  under  Dr.  Holbrook's  ministry.2 

Dr.  Holbrook  told  of  his  experiences  in  the  East  rais- 
ing money  for  the  Main-street  edifice.  He  read  a  list  of 
the  Dubuque  subscribers  to  that  enterprise,  and  suggested 

1  She  has  just  died  at  the  age  of  eighty-four  while  this  is  being  writ- 
ten. 
1  She  is  still  living  in  Chicago,  and  is  over  ninety  years  of  age. 


310          RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

that  this  would  be  a  good  time  for  those  in  arrears  to  pay 
up.  [Great  laughter.]  He  told  of  the  admiring  remarks 
that  used  to  be  made  about  that  building,  to  the  great  mer- 
riment of  those  present.  He  read  an  extract  from  the 
dedicatory  sermon  of  that  church  in  which  he  predicted 
that  Iowa  would  become  as  great  as  it  now  is.  He  re- 
hearsed the  story  of  the  revivals  under  his  ministry,  and 
told  of  one  revival  under  the  preaching  of  Rev.  John  T. 
Avery,  evangelist  of  Ohio.  One  of  the  converts  was  Mr. 
James  Steele,  who  subsequently  went  to  Oregon  and  took 
part  in  organizing  the  First  Congregational  church  of 
Portland.  In  closing,  he  touched  the  feelings  of  all  by 
saying  that  Dubuque  would  ever  be  dear  to  him ;  it  was 
here  he  began  his  pastoral  duties ;  here  he  began  his 
married  life,  and  fond  memories  of  the  past  clustered 
thickly  here.  He  was  delighted  with  this  reunion,  and 
looked  forward  to  a  greater  when  he  should  meet  his 
friends  in  the  world  to  come.  He  expressed  the  hope 
that  all  of  the  present  company  might  be  there. 

Then  followed  a  scene  long  to  be  remembered.  The 
pastor  said  that  there  were  several  ' '  elect  ladies  "  in  the 
audience  to  whom,  though  they  had  been  silent  listeners, 
these  exercises  had  been  especially  interesting.  By  the 
side  of  each  pastor,  through  the  years  of  labor,  of  trial, 
of  victory,  there  had  been  a  faithful  companion,  a  sharer 
of  burdens,  and  more  often  than  the  people  had  known, 
the  hidden  cause  of  the  pastor's  successes.  In  modesty, 
and  often  withdrawn  from  the  public  eye,  her  work  had 
been  done  and  she  had  been  content  with  her  husband's 
success,  but  he  now  proposed,  without  consulting  their 
wishes  in  the  matter,  to  give  the  people  an  opportunity 
to  express  for  each  of  these  noble  women  the  sentiments 


SEMI-CENTENNIAL    OF    DUBUQUE   CHURCH       31! 

of  gratitude  and  affection  which  they  feel.  Thereupon 
he  asked  Dr.  Holbrook  to  escort  Mrs.  Holbrook  to  the 
platform,  which  he  very  gladly  did.  As  the  doctor  went 
down  for  his  wife  and  the  venerable  pair  came  forward, 
Mrs.  Holbrook  quietly  protesting,  the  audience  rose  to 
their  feet  and  saluted  her  with  fluttering  handkerchiefs  in 
every  part  of  the  room  ;  and  both  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Hol- 
brook were  seated  on  the  platform. 

Very  tender  reference  was  made  to  the  deceased  wife 
of  Dr.  Whiting,  at  which  he  was  much  moved,  and  spoke 
a  few  words,  when  the  hymn,  "  O  think  of  the  friends 
over  there,"  was  sung.  Dr.  Bingham  then  escorted  his 
wife  to  the  platform,  and  was  followed  by  Rev.  Mr. 
Harrington  with  his  wife,  and  the  pastor  and  his  wife. 
After  which,  to  the  close,  the  meeting  was  open  for  all 
present  to  speak,  and  there  were  volleys  of  questions, 
laughter,  and  applause  strangely  intermixed.  Dr.  Bing- 
ham had  previously  made  some  tender  references  to  Dr. 
Guernsey,  deceased. 

These  few  points  are  but  hints  of  the  spirit  and  fulness 
of  the  meeting,  which  will  linger  long  in  the  memory  of 
those  who  were  present.  All  then  repaired  to  the  front 
of  the  building,  where  a  photographic  picture  was  taken, 
in  which  two  hundred  and  fifty  faces  are  distinctly  visible  ; 
the  pastors  and  their  wives  and  the  two  old  ladies  before 
referred  to  were  in  the  foreground. 

On  Monday  evening,  a  grand  banquet  was  enjoyed, 
which  closed  the  celebration.  A  very  fine  salutatory 
poem  by  Mrs.  Ada  L.  Collier,  an  authoress  of  reputation, 
and  a  member  of  the  church,  was  read  by  her,  but  it  is 
too  long  to  copy  here,  though  published  in  full.  Several 
speeches  were  made  and  papers  read.  In  one  of  the  latter, 


312  RECOLLECTIONS    OF   A    NONAGENARIAN 

Dr.  B.  McClure  referred  to  the  period  of  the  late  war, 
1861-65,  and  *he  attitude  of  this  church  in  reference  to 
it.  He  mentioned  the  names  of  members  of  the  church 
who  entered  the  army,  and  said  among  other  things : 

'•And  need  I  say  in  this  presence,  that  the  pulpit  of 
this  church  gave  forth  no  uncertain  sound?  There  were 
members  of  this  church  born  and  bred  in  slave  states, 
who  held  to  the  doctrine  of  state  rights,  so-called,  and  to 
the  theory  that  African  slavery  was  right,  not  only  right 
but  Christian ;  who  after  the  delivery  of  a  certain  sermon 
by  the  then  pastor,  Rev.  John  C.  Holbrook,  left  us,  se- 
ceeded  and  were  no  more  with  us  forever.  And  the  old 
bell  that  hung  in  the  tower!  It  too  was  true.  It  tolled  out 
its  sad  notes  when  news  of  defeat  was  brought  to  us  ;  and 
gave  forth  its  loudest  notes  of  cheer  when  victory  perched 
upon  our  banners.  Its  final  notes  of  victory  were  too 
much  for  bell-metal  to  endure,  and  it  burst  its  bands 
while  ringing  out  its  gladdest  notes  for  liberty  and  union. 
Lee  had  surrendered  and  the  Cause  was  lost — our  country 
was  saved.1' 

Following  this,  there  were  several  recep- 
tions at  houses  of  members  of  the  congrega- 
tion, and  I  baptized  several  children  of  those 
who  in  early  days  I  had  admitted  to  the 
church,  and  of  some  even  that  I  had  baptized 
in  childhood,  and  the  grandchildren  of  those 
who  long  years  before  had  been  married  by 
me. 

As  one  of  many  illustrations  of  the  civil 
and  religious  progress  of  our  country,  I  may 


SEMI-CENTENNIAL  OF  DUBUQUE  CHURCH   313 

state  that  the  Territory  of  fifty  thousand 
people,  when  I  crossed  the  Mississippi,  has 
expanded  into  one  of  the  noblest  states  of 
the  middle  west,  with  over  two  millions  of 
inhabitants.  The  little  mining  town  of  fifteen 
hundred  people  has  grown  into  a  grand  city  of 
forty  thousand  inhabitants,  with  an  extensive 
trade,  and  a  network  of  six  or  more  railroads 
in  every  direction,  connecting  with  lines  to  the 
Pacific  and  to  Mexico,  to  Canada,  and  soon 
will  reach  the  ultima  thule  of  our  country, 
Alaska ;  while  the  little  pastorless  church 
of  nineteen  members,  with  a  dingy,  unfin- 
ished house  of  worship,  mortgaged  for  more 
than  its  worth,  has  become  one  of  the  largest 
in  the  state,  with  a  magnificent  edifice,  hav- 
ing colonized  three  times  to  form  two  Presby- 
terian churches  and  a  second  Congregational, 
and  having  aided  in  establishing  a  large  Ger- 
man Congregational  church,  the  wife  of  whose 
pastor  was  a  member  of  my  church. 

I  shall  be  excused,  I  trust,  for  dwelling 
thus  on  this  semi-centennial  celebration,  since 
it  was,  to  me,  one  of  the  most  memorable 
episodes  in  the  history  of  my  long  life-work. 
Dear  old  city,  where  I  began  my  pastoral 
labors  as  a  home  missionary,  with  much  self- 
denial,  and  where  I  spent,  perhaps,  my  hap- 


314         RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

piest  years,  you  are  enshrined  in  my  mem- 
ory !  Dear  old  church  of  my  first  love,  and 
my  fellow  laborers  there,  I  shall  through 
eternity  rejoice  in  my  connection  with  you  ! 
Many  whom  I  loved,  and  many  converted 
under  my  ministry,  have  entered  the  heav- 
enly mansions,  and  others,  with  myself,  are 
hoping  to  join  them  at  no  distant  day.  What 
reminiscences  shall  we  have  to  recall  when 
we  all  meet  again  in  our  Father's  house, 

Where  saints  are  completely  blest ; 
Have  done  with  sin,  and  care,  and  woe, 
And  with  their  Saviour  rest. 


ANN  L.  HOLBROOK. 


CHAPTER  XL 

DEATH       OF      MY      WIFE TRIBUTES      TO       HER 

WORTH 

And  now  comes  one  of  the  saddest  chapters 
in  all  the  experiences  of  my  long  life.  Soon 
after  the  celebration  of  the  fiftieth  anniversary 
of  our  marriage,  there  developed  in  my  wife 
the  first  indications  of  a  disease  which  ere  long 
resulted  in  her  death.  She  felt  from  the  first 
that  it  would  prove  fatal,  but  with  remark- 
able Christian  fortitude  she  looked  forward 
to  the  end,  her  chief  anxiety  being  on  my 
account.  She  was  younger  than  I,  and  she 
had  often  said  she  hoped  to  outlive  me,  and 
minister  to  my  comfort  while  I  lived.  And 
such  had  been  my  prayer ;  but  our  heavenly 
Father  directed  otherwise.  Every  means 
available  was  resorted  to  for  her  relief,  but 
in  vain.  At  last  we  went  to  San  Francisco, 
to  avail  ourselves  of  the  services  of  a  special- 
ist in  the  line  of  her  ailment;  but  the  disease 
baffled  every  effort  for  its  removal,  and,  after 
four  years  from  the  time  it  first  appeared, 
the  end  came  November  20,  1896,  and  she 
3'5 


316         RECOLLECTIONS    OF   A   NONAGENARIAN 

quietly  fell  asleep  in  Jesus.  She  had  a  firm 
trust  in  the  Saviour,  and  said  she  should 
never  be  better  prepared  than  then  for  the 
great  change. 

The  last  books  we  read  together  were  Ian 
Maclaren's  "Upper  Room"  and  Dr.  Dale's 
"Future  Life,"  and  the  last  hymn  I  read  to 
her  was  that  beautiful  one  of  Keble's,  which 
she  said  was  one  of  her  favorites,  "  Sun  of 
my  soul,  thou  Saviour  dear,"  etc.,  and  es- 
pecially the  verse, — 

Abide  with  me  from  morn  till  eve, 
For  without  Thee  I  cannot  live ; 
Abide  with  me  when  night  is  nigh, 
For  without  Thee  I  dare  not  die. 

She  was  always  specially  interested  in 
home  and  foreign  missions,  and  while  we 
resided  in  that  State  she  secured  the  forma- 
tion of  the  New  York  State  Branch  of  the 
Woman's  Board  of  Missions  at  Boston,  act- 
ing as  its  secretary,  organizing  auxiliaries, 
and  writing  papers  and  annual  reports.  In 
Stockton  she  was  president  of  the  Woman's 
Missionary  Society  of  the  Congregational 
Church,  and  at  her  death  a  very  tender 
memorial  paper  was  adopted  by  her  asso- 
ciates. The  following  is  an  extract : 


TRIBUTES   TO    MRS.    HOLBROOK  317 

Our  hearts  are  sad,  as  we  gather  to-day,  in  missing 
the  familiar  form  of  our  dear  president,  Mrs.  Holbrook, 
and  we  realize  how  great  a  loss  we  have  sustained  by  her 
death.  Her  lovely  Christian  character,  and  her  untiring 
labors  in  the  missionary  cause,  have  endeared  her  to  us 
personally,  and  we  feel  that  we  have  lost  our  most  faith- 
ful and  efficient  member.  .  .  .  Hers  was  a  life 
filled  with  good  works,  and  the  influence  of  her  life  and 
character  will  long  be  felt  in  the  church,  in  this  society, 
and  in  the  community  in  which  she  lived. 

The  executive  committee  of  the  Woman's 
Board  of  Missions  of  the  Pacific  also  testified 
to  her  worth  and  works  in  resolutions  adopted 
and  published  in  the  Pacific.  They  said : 

She  will  be  missed,  not  only  in  the  domestic  circle, 
but  in  the  churches  of  California,  where  her  faithful,  lov- 
ing service  has  left  a  sweet  and  hallowed  influence.  Her 
earnestness,  loyalty,  and  devotion,  unostentatiously  ex- 
pressed, were  an  inspiration  to  the  work  of  this  Board, 
which  now  mourns  her  loss.  Many  of  us  remember  her 
earnest  words  and  helpful  suggestions  at  our  last  annual 
meeting.  Those  of  us  who  have  had  the  pleasure  of 
entertaining  her  in  our  homes  can  testify  to  her  ever- 
ready  sympathy  and  love  for  the  Master's  service  in  every 
act. 

Her  influence  will  abide  with  us ;  her  example  we  will 
do  well  to  follow  until  we,  too,  are  called  to  lay  down  the 
work  which  is  so  dear  to  us. 

The  following  is  an  extract  from  a  tribute 
to  her  worth  written  bv  Mrs.  Ada  L.  Collier, 


318          RECOLLECTIONS   OF   A    NONAGENARIAN 

the  authoress,  a  member  of  the  church  in 
Dubuque,  and  published  in  one  of  the  daily 
papers  of  that  city  : 

Mrs.  Ann  Holbrook  was  an  ideal  minister's  wife.  Hers 
were  the  hands  never  idle,  and  the  heart  never  empty. 
In  the  vague  memories  of  those  old  days,  amid  the  strug- 
gles and  privations  of  an  early  church,  the  face  of  Mrs. 
Holbrook  comes  in  view,  and  her  silent,  self-sacrificing 
ministry  is  outlined  in  the  brightest  of  tints.  For  her 
ministry  was  as  distinct  and  vital  as  was  that  of  her  dis- 
tinguished husband.  As  an  example  of  her  entire  faith- 
fulness, it  may  be  instanced  that  in  twenty  years'  service 
as  a  Sabbath-school  teacher  she  was  never  absent  but  one 
Sabbath. 

She  was  a  humble  and  sincere  Christian,  the  warm 
friend  of  the  friendless,  and  the  guide  of  the  erring.  Of 
a  joyous  and  even  temperament,  her  religion  was  of  a 
sunny  type,  and  she  never  lost  the  youthfulness  of  heart 
that  endeared  her  to  the  young  and  old  alike. 

She  bore  her  last  illness  with  a  serene  spirit,  and  with- 
out pain  or  murmuring  passed  peacefully  away. 

To  few  indeed  falls  so  beautiful  a  married  life  as  to  Dr. 
and  Mrs.  Holbrook.  They  lived  in  the  holiest  and  most 
tender  companionship  for  fifty-four  years.  For  them  the 
"silver-wedding  day"  dawned  softly  bright;  for  them 
the  "golden-marriage  morning"  widened  and  glowed 
into  almost  unearthly  beauty,  and  for  them  whose  hands 
are  unclasped  here,  "fora  little  while,"  awaits  the  glad 
reunion  in  God's  shadowless  day. 

In  the  quiet  cemetery  at  Stockton,  where  the  bland 
airs  of  the  Occident  blow  gently,  she  sleeps  the  sleep 
that  wraps  mortality  "when  day  is  gone." 


TRIBUTES    TO    MRS.    HOLBROOK  319 

I  \vill  add  an  extract  from  an  obituary 
notice  written  by  a  friend  and  published  in 
the  San  Francisco  Pacific: 

Hers  was  an  eventful  and  especially  useful  life.  She 
was  born  in  Farmington,  Conn.,  December  9,  1822. 
Her  father  moved  to  Illinois  in  1831  and  settled  in  Jack- 
sonville, where  his  name  stood  third  on  the  roll  of  the 
First  Church  there.  Mrs.  Holbrook  studied  at  Monti- 
cello  Seminary,  at  Godfrey,  111.,  the  oldest  institution  of 
the  kind  in  the  West,  and  presided  over  by  the  Rev. 
Theron  Baldwin,  D.  D.,  who  afterwards  became  secre- 
tary of  the  Congregational  College  Society.  About  two 
years  after  her  return  home,  she  was  married,  in  October, 
1842,  to  Rev.  J.  C.  Holbrook,  who  in  the  same  year 
commenced  his  first  pastorate  at  Dubuque,  la. 

Mrs.  Holbrook  was  a  very  able  and  efficient  co-laborer 
with  her  husband  in  his  many  and  varied  fields  of  activ- 
ity. She  had  what  might  be  termed  remarkable  gifts  of 
tact,  patience,  and  affection,  united  with  so  much  sim- 
plicity and  earnest  though  diffident  resolve  to  do  her  best, 
that  wherever  she  lived  she  had  the  entire  love  and  confi- 
dence of  all  the  people. 

Mrs.  Holbrook  made  profession  of  religion  and  united 
with  a  Congregational  church  in  Illinois  in  her  early  girl- 
hood, remaining  thereafter  a  conscientious  and  consistent 
Christian,  and  dying  in  full  hope  of  eternal  life  through 
her  Redeemer.  Her  funeral,  at  Stockton,  was  attended 
by  only  most  intimate  friends,  as  she  would  herself  have 
chosen,  and  Rev.  R.  H.  Sink  of  that  city  officiated.  One 
of  her  favorite  hymns  was  sung, — John  Keble's  "  Sun 
of  My  Soul." 


320          RECOLLECTIONS   OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

And  thus  passed  away  my  bosom  compan- 
ion of  fifty-four  years,  the  sharer  of  my  joys 
and  sorrows,  my  toils  and  responsibilities  and 
successes  ;  and  I  cannot  forbear  to  testify  to 
her  faithful  devotion  to  me,  and  to  the  work 
in  which  she  so  earnestly  cooperated  with  me 
in  the  various  positions  which  I  have  been 
called  to  occupy.  To  her  counsel  and  help 
I  owe,  in  large  measure,  any  success  I  have 
achieved  ;  and  to  her  amiability  and  tact  and 
good  judgment,  which  not  only  averted  enmi- 
ties, but  made  warm  friends,  is  due  in  good 
part  the  harmony  that  always  existed  be- 
tween me  and  the  people  of  my  charge  in  the 
pastoral  relation  ;  and  to  her  untiring  care  for 
my  welfare  is  to  be  ascribed,  no  doubt,  in 
part  the  lengthening  out  of  my  days  so  far 
beyond  the  average  of  human  life. 

For  weeks  I  watched  the  ebbing  tide  of  her 
life,  and  my  sensations  could  not  be  better 
described  than  in  the  following  lines,  which 
have  since  come  under  my  eye  : 

They 

Who  never  saw  the  eyelids  close, 
Beneath  whose  shadowing  fringes  lay 

All  that  had  given  to  life  repose, 
Or  charm,  or  hope,  or  ease,  or  joy, 
Or  love  clear  molten  from  alloy ; 

Who  have  not,  tear-blind,  watched  the  breath 


TRIBUTES    TO    MRS.    HOLBROOK  321 

That  only  breathed  to  bless  them,  come 
Slower  and  fainter,  till  the  dumb 

Unanswering  lips  grew  white  with  death, 
They  cannot  know,  by  grief  untaught, 

What  an  unfathomed  depth  I  find 
Of  ebbless  anguish  in  the  thought 

That  I  am  left  behind. 

The  skeptic,  John  Stuart  Mill,  as  he  stood 
in  anguish  beside  the  grave  of  his  wife,  not 
expecting  ever  again  to  meet  her,  admitted 
that  the  Christian's  confident  hope  of  reunion 
in  the  future  state  with  those  loved  on  earth, 
has,  in  such  circumstances,  an  advantage 
that  cannot  be  overestimated,  and  that  "  if 
that  hope  cannot  be  proved  to  be  true,  it  cer- 
tainly cannot  be  unproved." 

And  so,  as  Whittier  says,  "beside  the 
Silent  Sea  I  wait  the  muffled  oar,"  and  in 
my  ninetieth  year  look  for  a  consummation 
of  my  hopes  not  only  in  beholding  the  "  bliss- 
ful face"  of  the  Saviour  and  "  standing  com- 
plete in  righteousness,"  but  also  in  meeting 
again  the  friends  gone  before. 

So  long  God's  power  hath  blest  me,  surely  still 

'T  will  lead  me  on 
Through  dreary  doubt,  through  pain  and  sorrow,  till 

The  night  is  gone, 

And  with  the  morn,  those  angel  faces  smile 
Which  I  have  loved  long  since  and  lost  awhile. 
21 


322          RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

Says  Martineau, — "  While  we  poor  way- 
farers still  toil,  with  hot  and  bleeding  feet, 
along  the  highway  and  the  dust  of  life,  our 
companions  have  but  mounted  the  divergent 
path,  to  explore  the  more  sacred  streams, 
and  visit  the  diviner  vales,  and  wander  amidst 
the  everlasting  Alps,  of  God's  upper  province 
of  creation.  And  so  we  keep  up  the  courage 
of  our  hearts  and  refresh  ourselves  with  the 
memories  of  love  and  travel  forward  in  the 
path  of  duty  with  less  weary  step,  feeling 
ever  for  the  hand  of  God,  and  listening  for 
the  domestic  voices  of  the  immortals  whose 
happy  welcome  waits  us.  Death,  in  short, 
under  the  Christian  aspect,  is  but  God's 
method  of  colonization  ;  the  transition  from 
this  mother  country  of  our  race  to  the  fairer 
and  newer  world  of  our  emigration." 

Yet  love  will  dream,  and  Faith  will  trust 
That  somehow,  somewhere  meet  we  must. 
Alas  for  him  who  never  sees 
The  stars  shine  through  his  cypress  trees ! 

—  Whitlier. 

"A  truth  learned  in  the  hours  of  faith,  but 
a  truth  to  flesh  and  sense  unknown." 


CHAPTER    XLI 

CONCLUSION DEGREE  OF  LL.  D.  CONFERRED 

IMPORTANCE  OF  THE  NINETEENTH  CENTURY 

AND     ITS     PROGRESS EXTRACTS     FROM     MY 

DUBUQUE    SEMI-CENTENNIAL    DISCOURSE 

Just  as  I  was  writing  the  last  of  the  preced- 
ing chapter,  I  received  notice  that  Norwich 
University,1  at  Northfield,  Vt.,  my  native  state, 
had  conferred  on  me  the  honorary  title  of 
LL.  D.  I  confess  my  surprise,  for  I  am  sure 
I  felt  that  I  had  little  claim  to  such  distinc- 
tion, compared  with  multitudes  of  others,  but 
I  accepted  it  as  evidence  that  some,  at  least, 
who  had  known  my  history,  believed  that  I  had 
not  lived  altogether  in  vain.  It  impressed  me 
anew  with  a  sense  of  my  obligation  to  the 
grace  of  God  which  has  enabled  so  poor  an 
instrument  as  I  have  been  to  accomplish  any- 
thing in  his  service,  and  for  the  benefit  of  his 
fellow  men.  To  Him  be  all  the  glory. 

To  any  one  who  has  felt  interest  enough  in 
the  matter,  and  has  had  the  patience  to  follow 
the  record  of  my  life  in  the  foregoing  pages, 

1  See  Appendix. 
323 


324          RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

it  must  be  apparent  that  it  has  been  an  active 
one,  and  one  that  may  be  appropriately  termed 
a  practical  one.  I  have  written  no  profound 
theological,  philosophical,  or  scientific  work; 
have  made  no  wonderful  discoveries  or  inven- 
tions, and  have  achieved  no  literary  fame,  but 
I  have  -worked  faithfully  to  advance  the  Re- 
deemer's kingdom,  and  I  trust  have  done 
something  towards  that  end. 

It  admits  of  serious  doubt  in  my  mind 
whether  it  would  have  been  of  advantage  to 
me  in  the  course  marked  out  for  me  by  Provi- 
dence, had  more  of  the  early  years  of  my 
manhood  been  spent  in  the  halls  of  learning 
instead  of  among  men  and  amid  the  scenes  of 
active  business  life ;  but  there  can  be  no  doubt 
that  for  the  vast  majority  of  candidates  for 
the  ministry,  a  thorough  collegiate  and  the- 
ological course  of  education  is  necessary,  and 
in  some  cases  indispensable  to  the  highest 
success.  That  I  do  not  undervalue  the  im- 
portance of  institutions  of  learning  for  that 
purpose  is  proved  by  the  fact  that  I  have  been 
more  or  less  directly  or  indirectly  connected 
with  the  founding  and  support  of  Iowa,  Beloit, 
and  Rockford  (female)  colleges,  and  the 
Chicago  and  Pacific  Theological  seminaries. 

In  reviewing  my  life  as  I  have  now  done,  I 


THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY  325 

repeat  again  my  thankfulness  that  I  have  lived 
in  such  a  period  of  the  world's  history  as  is 
embraced  in  the  present  century. 

"  At  no  time,"  says  Mr.  John  Fiske,  "  since 
men  have  dwelt  upon  the  earth  have  their 
notions  about  the  universe  undergone  so  great 
a  change  as  in  the  century  of  which  we  are 
approaching  the  end.  Never  before  has 
knowledge  increased  so  rapidly ;  never  be- 
fore has  philosophical  speculation  been  so 
actively  conducted  or  its  results  so  widely  dif- 
fused. .  .  .  This  century  is  an  epoch 
the  grandeur  of  which  dwarfs  all  others  that 
can  be  named  since  the  beginning  of  the 
historic  period.  In  their  mental  habits,  in 
their  methods  of  inquiry,  and  in  the  data  at 
their  command,  the  men  of  the  present  day 
are  separated  from  the  men  whose  education 
ended  in  1830  by  an  inestimably  wider  gulf 
than  ever  before  divided  one  progressive  gen- 
eration of  men  from  their  predecessors. 
The  great  achievements  of  archeologists  and 
the  unearthing  of  ancient  cities  belong  almost 
entirely  to  the  present  century.  In  books  of 
logic  the  score  of  centuries  between  Aristotle 
and  Whately  saw  less  advance  than  between 
Whately  and  Mill.  .  .  .  The  eyes  of  the 
twenty-first  century  will,  no  doubt,  point  back 


326          RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

to  the  age  just  passing  away  as  the  opening  ol 
a  new  dispensation." 

But  wonderful  as  has  been  the  advance 
which  has  been  made  during  this  century  in 
the  respects  thus  specified,  and  in  others  to 
which  I  referred  in  my  eighty-sixth  birthday 
sermon  (see  Appendix),  yet  I  love  to  dwell 
with  more  satisfaction  on  the  progress  that  has 
been  made  in  the  advancement  of  the  king- 
dom of  God,  to  which  I  also  alluded  in  my 
sermon  just  referred  to.  This  country  has 
witnessed  the  renascence  of  the  missionary 
spirit  in  the  Christian  world,  and  more  has 
been  accomplished  in  the  spread  of  the  gospel 
and  in  preparation  for  its  universal  triumph 
than  was  true  even  of  the  apostolic  days,  or 
in  all  the  centuries  since,  till  the  present  one. 

How  remarkable  have  been  the  strides  in  the 
work  of  evangelizing  our  own  land,  and  how 
rapid  the  multiplication  of  churches  of  all 
'denominations,  and  the  increase  of  members 
far  beyond  the  proportionate  increase  of  our 
population  !  To  speak  of  our  own  Congrega- 
tional body,  how  notable  has  been  its  devel- 
opment, and  its  expansion  from  the  little 
section  of  New  England  to  every  state  and 
territory  in  the  Union,  rendering  it  no  longer 


EXTRACTS    FROM    DISCOURSE  327 

provincial  but  national !  Instead  of  the  few 
churches  in  the  region  where  it  was  first 
planted,  there  are  now  nearly  6,000  churches, 
with  over  600,000  members,  with  seven  the- 
ological seminaries  and  over  fifty  colleges, 
while  the  contributions  for  the  home  and  for- 
eign missionary  societies  and  their  auxiliaries 
have  swelled  from  a  few  hundred,  at  first, 
to  millions  annually. 

The  epoch  under  review  has,  also,  wit- 
nessed a  most  encouraging  development  of 
the  spirit  of  philanthropy  and  of  liberality  in 
giving  not  only  for  the  relief  of  the  suffering, 
but  for  the  endowment  of  educational  institu- 
tions, and  the  elevation  of  the  degraded. 
The  accursed  system  of  human  slavery  has 
been  abolished  in  our  own  land  and  in  the 
whole  civilized  world.  The  spirit  of  union 
among  Christians  and  the  recognition  of  the 
right  of  toleration  in  religious  belief  and  of 
all  the  other  rights  of  man  have  made  a 
marked  progress  beyond  any  other  like  period 
of  history. 

Perhaps  I  cannot  better  close  this  review 
than  by  quoting  here  a  passage  from  the  ser- 
mon which  I  preached  on  "  The  Signs  of  the 
Times,"  at  the  semi-centennial  celebration  of 
the  church  of  which  I  was  the  first  pastor  in 


328          RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

Dubuque,  Iowa.  After  enumerating  the 
advantages  we  now  possess  for  the  spread  of 
the  gospel,  I  said  : 

So  we  see,  that  all  these  great  systems  of  combined 
and  world-wide  enterprises  for  the  renovation  of  soci- 
ety and  the  conversion  of  the  world  have  been  invented, 
or  perhaps  better  inspired  of  God,  within  less  than  a 
century,  and  we  are  ready  to  say,  What  were  Christians 
thinking  about,  and  what  were  they  doing  previously  ? 
But  the  world  was  not  ripe  for  this  great  movement  of 
which  I  speak  before,  nor  were  there  the  needed  facilities 
for  doing  the  work  which  we  now  possess. 

It  is  not  a  quixotic  enterprise  then  in  which  the  Church 
is  engaged  of  converting  the  world  to  Christianity.  Com- 
pare the  aspect  of  the  world  now,  the  progress  of  explora- 
tion, the  improvements  in  the  arts  and  all  the  facilities  for 
prosecuting  the  work  of  evangelization,  with  those  of 
apostolic  days  and  tell  me  why,  if  you  can,  with  the  same 
zeal  and  self-consecration  and  prayer  as  distinguished  the 
first  Christians  we  should  not  see  vastly  greater  results. 
We  have  the  same  gospel  now,  the  same  promises,  the 
same  almighty  Spirit  to  cooperate  with  us,  and  men  are  to 
be  converted  in  the  same  way  now  and  society  revolution- 
ized as  in  apostolic  days. 

And  how  grand  an  enterprise  is  this  in  which  we  are 
engaged !  Not  the  extension  of  national  power  and  do- 
minion, and  the  achievement  of  worldly  glory,  but  the 
spread  of  the  kingdom  of  the  Prince  of  peace,  the  eleva- 
tion of  a  degraded  humanity,  the  establishment  of  human 
rights,  and  the  reconciliation  of  men  to  God,  and  their 
eternal  salvation. 


EXTRACTS    FROM    DISCOURSE  329 

"  The  great  Leader  under  whom  we  serve  is  operating 
with  a  plan.  How  inspiring  to  detect  that  plan  and  to 
cooperate  with  him  in  it !  "  Celsus,  an  early  opponent  of 
Christianity,  deemed  it  absurd  to  attempt  the  propagation 
of  a  universal  religion.  But  the  progress  already  made 
renders  its  practicability  plain  to  sight,  for  all  things  point 
in  one  direction. 

There  is  something  sublime  beyond  compare  in  the 
steady  onward  progress  of  Christ's  religion  on  earth,  in 
spite  of  all  obstacles  and  opposition.  We  are  stirred  as 
we  read  the  campaigns  of  Alexander  and  Napoleon,  but 
far  more  thrilling  and  impressive  to  me  are  the  visions 
which  by  the  eye  of  faith  I  see  of  the  spiritual  and  moral 
conquests  of  Jesus ;  kings  yielding  to  his  supremacy  and 
nation  after  nation  acknowledging  his  sway,  until  finally 
"every  knee  bows  and  every  tongue  confesses  that  he 
is  Lord  to  the  glory  of  God  the  Father.'' 

No  conqueror's  sword  he  bears, 

Nor  warlike  armor  wears, 
Nor  haughty  passion  stirs  to  conquest  wild  ; 

In  peace  and  love  he  comes 

And  gentle  is  his  reign 
Which  o'er  the  earth  he  spreads  by  influence  mild. 

The  peaceful  Conqueror  goes 

And  triumphs  o'er  his  foes, 
His  weapons  drawn  from  armories  above. 

Behold  the  vanquished  sit 

Submissive  at  His  feet, 
And  strife  and  hate  are  changed  to  peace  and  love. 

Oh,  I  pity  the  man  who  has  no  sympathy  with  the  work 
of  the  world's  salvation,  but  is  content  to  plod  along 
through  life  immersed  in  worldly  cares  and  schemes,  feel- 
ing no  enthusiasm  to  join  in  this  great  enterprise  and 


33°          RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

destined  to  have  no  part  in  its  final  triumph,  when  angels 
and  just  men  made  perfect  shall  raise  the  anthem,  "  The 
kingdoms  of  this  world  are  become  the  kingdoms  of  our 
Lord,  and  of  his  Christ ! " 

Such  has  been  the  century  I  have  de- 
scribed, and  through  most  of  which  I  have 
lived ;  it  has  been  a  privilege,  and  yet  I  envy 
those  who  are  just  coming  on  the  stage,  and 
are  to  witness  the  developments  of  the  next. 
To  the  eye  of  faith  there  looms  up  a  period  of 
still  greater  progress  than  in  the  past,  and  of 
more  glorious  displays  of  God's  love  to  man, 
and  of  the  power  of  the  gospel.  But  I  hope  to 
look  down  from  the  heights  of  heaven  and  see 
the  triumphs  of  God's  grace  in  the  redemp- 
tion of  this  fallen  world. 


APPENDIX 


From  the  San  Francisco  Pacific 

DR.     HOLBROOK'S     DISCOURSE    ON 
HIS    EIGHTY-SIXTH    BIRTHDAY 

"  I  will  remember  the  years  of  the  right  hand  of  the  Most 
High  "  (Ps.  77  :  10). 

"  Bless  the  Lord,  O  my  soul,  and  forget  not  all  his  benefits  " 
(Ps.  103:2). 

The  Apostle  Paul  in  one  of  his  epistles  de- 
clares that,  forgetting  the  things  which  were 
behind,  he  reached  forth  to  those  which  were 
before.  And,  no  doubt,  instead  of  dwelling 
on  our  past  discouragements,  our  failures  and 
mistakes,  or  even  morbidly  on  our  sins,  which 
would  tend  to  dishearten  us,  it  is  wiser  rather 
to  contemplate  the  possibilities  of  the  future, 
and  thus  be  stimulated  to  aspire  after  higher 
degrees  of  holiness  and  usefulness.  Still,  it 
is  becoming  and  profitable,  at  stated  seasons, 
to  look  back  on  the  past  and  call  to  remem- 
brance the  manifestations  of  God's  goodness 
towards  us,  that  we  may  feel  and  express 
331 


332  RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

our  gratitude,  and  have  our  faith  and  hopes 
strengthened. 

Accordingly,  on  this  my  eighty-sixth  birth- 
day, I  have  thought  it  might  be  profitable  to 
others,  as  well  as  myself,  to  take  a  backward 
glance  on  my  past  history  and  experiences, 
and  in  the  spirit  of  the  writers  of  my  text,  to 
"  remember  the  years  of  the  right  hand  of  the 
Most  High,"  and  call  on  my  soul  to  "  bless 
the  Lord,  and  not  to  forget  his  benefits." 

I.  And  the  first  benefit  for  which  I  desire 
to-day  to  bless  the  Lord  is  that  I  had  my 
birth  in  a  Christian  family,  and  was  trained 
under  the  shadow  of  the  sanctuary,  in  the 
midst  of  Christian  influences.  From  the  ear- 
liest period  of  my  childhood,  I  felt  the  influ- 
ence of  pious  parental  example,  and  prayers, 
and  instruction.  The  family  worship  regu- 
larly maintained,  the  strict  observance  of  the 
Sabbath  as  a  day  of  sacred  rest,  constant 
attendance  on  the  services  of  God's  house, 
and  on  the  Sabbath-school,  and  the  atmos- 
phere of  a  Christian  community — all  had  a 
hallowed  effect  upon  me  to  restrain  me  from 
forming  vicious  habits,  and  to  prepare  me 
for  the  never-to-be-forgotten  revival  of  relig- 
ion in  which  I  was  early  led  to  enter  upon 
the  Christian  life,  and  which  was  the  begin- 


APPENDIX  333 

ning  of  sixty-seven  years  of  devotion  to  the 
service  of  Christ. 

Who  can  estimate  the  value  of  such  privi- 
leges and  influences  in  the  development  of 
character  and  the  shaping  of  one's  destiny  for 
time  and  eternity?  Thousands  upon  thou- 
sands now  in  the  realms  of  glory,  and  thou- 
sands upon  thousands  more  to  be  added  to 
their  number,  will  bless  God  through  eternity 
for  a  Christian  parentage.  There  is  an  en- 
tail of  religion  that  passes  from  Christian 
parents  to  their  offspring  of  infinitely  more 
value  than  wealth,  however  great.  Better, 
far  better,  to  be  an  heir  of  God  than  of  the 
greatest  millionaire. 

It  is  a  fact  that  the  vast  majority  of  those 
that  are  gathered  into  the  churches  come 
from  Christian  families,  and  if  all  professedly 
Christian  parents  were  consistent  in  their 
lives,  and  faithful  in  training  their  households 
in  the  way  they  should  go,  it  would  be  one  of 
the  mightiest  factors  in  building  up  the  king- 
dom of  God  on  earth,  and  not  second  even  to 
the  preaching  of  the  gospel. 

Let  me,  then,  urge  all  who  have  the  respon- 
sibility of  training  children  to  be  watchful 
over  their  own  walk  and  conversation,  and 
faithful  in  instilling  into  the  youthful  mind 


334  RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

the  principles  of  religion,  reverence  for  God's 
house  and  the  Sabbath,  and  the  duty  and 
privilege  of  being  numbered  among  the 
disciples  of  Christ.  Let  a  cheerful  and  con- 
sistent piety  reign  in  the  household,  and  let  it 
be  seen  that  "  religion  never  was  designed  to 
make  our  pleasures  less." 

And,  my  yourig  friends  who  listen  to  me 
to-day,  who  have  Christian  parents,  let  me 
impress  on  your  minds  the  value  of  this  ad- 
vantage, and,  if  you  have  not  already  done 
so,  let  me  exhort  you  to  yield  early  to  the 
influences  brought  to  bear  upon  you,  and  to 
enter  upon  a  Christian  life  before  you  shall 
come  under  those  powerful  counter-influences 
which  will  meet  you  when  you  go  forth  to 
face  the  temptations  of  the  world.  Had  I  not 
done  so,  how  different  would  have  been  my 
life  and  my  eternal  destiny  ! 

II.  The  second  benefit  for  which  I  desire 
to  bless  God  to-day  is  that,  in  the  language 
of  the  apostle,  he  "  counted  me  faithful,  put- 
ting me  into  the  ministry."  This  is  the 
noblest  and  most  exalted  occupation  of  man, 
and  after  more  than  fifty  years  devoted  to  it, 
if  I  were  to  live  my  life  over  again,  it  would 
be  my  choice  of  all  others.  It  is  an  occupa- 
tion most  favorable  not  only  to  one's  own  per- 


APPENDIX  335 

sonal  improvement,  but  also  to  one's  useful- 
ness to  others. 

The  true  minister  of  Christ  is  occupied  with 
the  highest  possible  themes  of  contemplation, 
calculated  to  expand  his  mind,  enlarge  his 
heart,  and  ennoble  his  character.  What  other 
science  can  compare  in  this  respect  with  the 
science  of  theology?  What  study  with  ^the 
study  of  the  Word  of  God?  And  what  labor 
so  satisfying  and  exhilarating  as  that  of  saving 
souls  and  building  up  the  kingdom  of  God? 
Had  I  a  thousand  lives  to  live,  they  should  all 
be  devoted  to  this.  And  what  are  the  rewards 
of  any  other  occupation,  though  fame  and 
wealth  should  be  the  result,  compared  with 
the  satisfaction  of  having  helped  to  prepare 
immortal  souls  for  a  future  glorious  destiny, 
and  of  having  done  something  to  make  the 
world  better,  by  preaching  that  gospel  that  is 
designed  for  its  redemption? 

If  there  is  a  young  man  here  to-day  who  is 
considering  what  shall  be  his  future  course  in 
life,  and  has  not  yet  decided,  let  me  urge  him 
to  give  himself  to  the  work  of  the  ministry  of 
the  gospel.  It  is  the  testimony  of  one  who 
has  tried  the  experiment,  and  has  had  half  a 
century's  experience  and  observation,  that  he 
will  never  regret  such  a  decision. 


RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

I  grant  and  rejoi'ce  in  the  fact  that  one  may 
be  useful,  and  serve  his  God  and  generation 
in  any  honest  calling,  and  in  any  of  the  walks 
of  life,  so  that  no  one  need  ever  live  in  vain. 
Multitudes  have  made  themselves  a  blessing 
to  the  world  in  very  humble  spheres ;  but  still 
it  is  true  that  it  is  an  unequaled  honor  and 
privilege  to  occupy  the  position  of  a  minister 
of  Christ.  As  Paul  declares,  "  If  a  man  de- 
sire the  office  of  a  bishop  [or,  as  the  word 
means,  a  pastor],  he  desireth  a  good  work." 

III.  Again,  I  bless  God  to-day  that  I  have 
been  permitted  to  live  in  the  present  era  of 
the  world's  history.  This  nineteenth  century 
is,  in  many  respects,  the  most  interesting  and 
important  of  all  the  centuries  since  the  world 
began.  True,  there  have  been  others  in 
which  one  or  more  events  have  occurred  that 
have  exerted  a  world-wide  influence,  but  no 
century  has  witnessed  so  great  advances  in 
civilization,  and  such  vast  and  rapid  progress 
in  arts  and  science,  such  discoveries  in  and 
application  of  the  powers  of  nature,  so  many 
inventions  calculated  to  benefit  mankind,  such 
manifestations  of  the  spirit  of  philanthropy, 
and  such  a  degree  of  Christian  enterprise. 

The  ancients  were  proud  of  their  so-called 
"  seven  wonders  of  the  world" — the  pyramids 


APPENDIX  337 

of  Egypt,  the  hanging  gardens  of  Babylon, 
the  Pharos  of  Alexandria,  the  noble  statue  of 
Jupiter  Olympus  by  Praxiteles,  the  Temple  of 
Diana  at  Ephesus,  the  Colossus  of  Rhodes, 
and  the  Mausoleum  of  Artemesia.  But  what 
were  all  these  in  practical  value  compared 
with  the  almost  seventy-times-seven  wonders 
of  the  modern  world?  The  steam  engine, 
that  has  wrought  such  a  revolution  in  mechan- 
ics, manufactures,  and  travel;  the  railroad, 
traversing  mountain,  valley,  and  river,  and 
sweeping  its  trains  with  lightning  speed 
across  continents ;  the  telegraph,  enabling 
us  to  hold  converse  as  with  a  neighbor  with 
far-distant  places,  and  even  across  the  vast 
ocean  :  the  photograph,  that  not  only  pictures 
for  us  the  faces  of  our  friends  and  the  scenery 
of  earth,  but  also  presents  to  us  the  aspects  of 
the  planetary  spheres,  and  that  reveals  to  us 
thousands  and  millions  of  stars  undiscernible 
through  the  most  powerful  telescopes ;  the 
spectroscope,  that  enables  us  to  ascertain  the 
materials  of  distant  worlds,  the  adaptations  of 
the  wonderful  capacities  of  electricity ;  the 
anaesthetics,  that  divest  the  most  critical  surgi- 
cal operations  of  pain  ;  the  power  printing- 
press,  that  throws  off  its  sheets  by  the  thou- 
sands every  few  minutes — each  one  of  these, 
22 


RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

and  others  that  might  be  named,  is  worth 
more  to  mankind  than  all  the  ancient  seven 
wonders  of  the  world  combined.  They  not 
only  enhance  the  material  comfort  and  welfare 
of  man,  but  they  also  facilitate  the  great  work 
of  spreading  the  gospel,  and  the  upbuilding 
of  the  kingdom  of  God  on  earth.  Indeed, 
were  it  not  for  some  of  these  discoveries  and 
inventions,  it  would  not  be  possible  to  carry 
on  the  work  of  missions  on  its  present  scale. 
And  this  leads  me  to  say  that  it  is  a  remark- 
able illustration  of  the  providence  of  God  that 
this  astonishing  progress  in  material  things 
should  so  exactly  synchronize  or  coincide  in 
time  with  the  development  of  the  missionary 
spirit  in  the  churches.  During  this  very  cen- 
tury that  has  been  distinguished  by  such 
wonderful  inventions  and  discoveries  there  has 
been  exhibited  such  enterprise  among  Protes- 
tant Christians  in  the  work  of  the  world's 
evangelization  as  to  render  this  emphatically 
the  missionary  era. 

It  is  but  one  hundred  years  since  the  first 
movement  for  giving  the  gospel  to  the 
heathen  began  in  England,  and  it  was  not  till 
I  was  two  years  old  that  the  first  foreign  mis- 
sionary society  in  this  country  was  formed— 
our  American  Board  of  Missions,  which  has 


APPENDIX  339 

been  followed  by  others  in  all  the  leading 
Christian  denominations.  I  was  five  years 
old  when  the  first  missionaries  sailed  from 
this  country  for  India,  and  it  was  with  diffi- 
culty that  they  secured  permission  to  land 
and  begin  their  labors.  Then  the  problem 
was  where  to  find  a  field  in  which  to  labor — 
now  the  whole  world  is  open  to  the  gospel. 
Even  Spain  and  Austria,  the  most  bigoted  of 
Roman  Catholic  countries,  can  be  reached  ; 
and  Italy,  the  very  home  of  the  Pope,  has  its 
Protestant  churches,  and  the  Bible  is  circu- 
lated there  by  thousands. 

It  is  within  my  remembrance  that  all  our 
great  religious  and  philanthropic  societies 
were  organized  ;  the  Home  Missionary,  the 
Bible  and  Tract,  the  Peace,  the  Temperance, 
the  Anti-Slavery,  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.,  the  Chris- 
tian Endeavor  societies — these,  and  many 
others,  have  come  into  being  in  my  lifetime. 

The  Bible  has  been  translated  into  three 
hundred  and  fifty  different  languages  and  dia- 
lects, and  is  being  printed  and  circulated  by 
millions  from  year  to  year,  and  Christians 
have  been  permitted  to  introduce  the  gospel 
into  nearly  every  country  on  the  globe. 

Yes,  the  world  has  been  growing  better 
since  I  came  upon  the  stage  of  life,  and  I 


34O  RECOLLECTIONS   OF   A    NONAGENARIAN 

rejoice  that  I  have  been  permitted  to  witness 
such  vast  changes  for  the  better.  Never 
before  in  the  annals  of  our  race  were  there  so 
many  channels  opened  for  doing  good  as 
now,  and  never  before  could  any  individual 
do  so  much  to  benefit  his  fellow  men ;  never 
before  was  life  so  well  worth  living  for  one 
desirous  of  usefulness,  never  before  was  there 
so  little  excuse  for  a  useless  life.  Why,  ten 
years  in  this  century  were  worth  more  than 
five  hundred  before  the  flood,  or  two  hundred 
in  the  middle  ages.  Never  before  could  one 
enjoy  so  much,  learn  so  much,  and  do  so 
much  good  as  in  this  nineteenth  century. 

The  first  century  of  our  era  was  indeed 
marked  by  the  greatest  event  in  history — the 
advent  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ — and  by 
wonderful  displays  of  the  power  of  the  gospel 
in  the  conversion  of  men  and  the  establish- 
ment of  churches  ;  but  the  present  century 
has  witnessed  more  extensive  progress  of  the 
gospel  in  the  world  than  the  first,  and  far 
more  of  the  spirit  of  philanthropy  and  the 
adoption  of  measures  for  the  relief  of  suffer- 
ing humanity. 

Yes,  I  repeat,  I  am  glad  I  have  lived  in 
this  era  of  the  world's  history,  and  that  I  have 
been  permitted  to  share  a  humble  part  in  the 


.  APPENDIX  341 

progress  of  the  world.  And  could  I  live 
another  eighty-six  years,  with  renewed  health 
and  strength,  they  should  all  be  employed  for 
the  same  great  end.  But  my  active  work  is 
done.  Says  Miss  Frances  Havergal :  "I 
suppose  nobody  ever  did  naturally  like  the 
idea  of  growing  older,  at  least  after  they  had 
left  school.  There  is  a  sense  of  oppression 
and  depression  about  it.  The  irresistible  and 
inevitable  onward  march  of  moments  and 
years  casts  an  autumn-like  shadow  over  even 
many  a  spring  birthday.  But  how  surely  the 
Bible  gives  the  bright  side  of  a  fact  that, 
without  it,  could  not  help  being  gloomy  !" 

To  the  aged  Christian  there  is  increas- 
ing light — light  on  God's  Word,  light  on 
God's  providence,  light  on  God's  love  and 
faithfulness,  and  the  near  foreshadowings  of 
the  glorious  light  of  heaven.  We  should  have 
said,  "At  evening  there  shall  be  shadows." 
God  says,  "At  evening  time  it  shall  be  light." 
While  "  the  way  of  the  wicked  is  as  dark- 
ness," "  the  path  of  the  just  is  as  the  shining 
light,  that  shineth  more  and  more  unto  the 
perfect  day." 

As  Miss  Havergal  says  :  "  Some  of  the 
fruits  of  the  Spirit  are  peculiarly  characteris- 
tic of  sanctified  older  years.  Witness  the 


342  RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A   NONAGENARIAN 

splendid  ripeness  of  Abraham's  faith  in  old 
age  ;  the  grandeur  of  Moses'  meekness  when 
he  went  up  into  the  mountain  to  die  ;  the  mel- 
lowness of  Paul  in  his  later  epistles,  and  the 
gentleness  of  John  that  makes  us  forget  he 
was  once  a  son  of  thunder." 

The  old  Christian  who  has  had  a  lifelong 
experience  of  the  faithfulness  of  God  to  His 
promises,  how  can  he  doubt  that  He  will  be 
faithful  to  the  end  !  "  Even  to  your  old  age 
I  am  he,"  says  God  ;  "  and  even  to  hoar  hairs 
will  I  carry  you."  We  shall  always  be  His 
little  children,  and  He  will  always  be  our 
Father. 

Fear  not  the  westering  shadows, 

O  children  of  the  day  ! 
For  brighter  still  and  brighter 

Shall  be  your  homeward  way  : 
Resplendent  as  the  morning, 

With  fuller  glow  and  power, 

And  clearer  than  the  noonday, 

Shall  be  your  evening  hour. 

And  now,  before  I  close,  let  me  bear  my 
testimony  to  some  important  points.  First,  I 
am  a  living  witness  to  the  truth  of  Solomon's 
declaration,  that  religion  promotes  health  and 
long  life  :  and  of  the  assertion  of  the  apostle, 
that  "  Godliness  has  the  promise  of  the  life 
that  now  is  as  well  as  of  that  which  is  to 


APPENDIX  343 

come."  I  have  never  been  addicted  to  the 
use  of  tobacco  or  intoxicating  drinks,  which 
undermine  and  destroy  the  health  of  so  many. 
These,  with  licentiousness,  overtaxing  the 
system  in  the  pursuit  of  wealth  and  the  objects 
of  ambition,  neglect  of  the  Sabbath,  and  fail- 
ure to  cultivate  the  religious  and  moral  nature, 
all  tend  to  shorten  life,  and  religion  guards 
against  these  foes  of  man.  If  all  men  obeyed 
the  laws  of  God  the  average  length  of  human 
life  would  be  vastly  increased. 

Again,  I  can  testify,  after  more  than  sixty 
years'  experience,  that  the  Christian  life  is  the 
most  useful  life.  Not  only  does  it  guard  one 
from  exerting  a  baleful  influence  on  society, 
but  it.  brings  him  into  cooperation  with  others 
in  every  good  work,  and  makes  him  a  partici- 
pator in  innumerable  measures  that  are 
designed  and  adapted  to  elevate  society, 
promote  good  morals,  and  fit  men  for  a 
blessed  immortality ;  and  by  his  godly  and 
consistent  example,  he  commends  his  religion 
to  his  fellow  men,  and  leaves  behind  him  an 
influence  that  will  work  on  after  he  is  dead 
and  gone. 

Astronomers  tell  us  there  are  stars  so  far 
distant  from  us  that  it  takes  years  for  their 
light  to  reach  the  earth,  and  if  they  were  sud- 


344         RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 

.  denly  blotted  out,  the  light  that  is  on  its  way 
to  us  would  not  reach  us  for  a  quarter  of  a 
century  ;  or  as  Whittier  says, — 

Were  a  star  quenched  on  high 

For  ages  would  its  light, 
Still  trembling  downward  from  the  sky, 

Fall  on  our  mortal  sight. 
So  when  a  good  man  dies : 

For  years  beyond  our  ken, 
The  light  he  leaves  behind  him  lies 

Along  the  paths  of  men." 

I  can  also  testify  that  a  Christian  life  is 
a  happy  life.  As  Solomon  says,  Wisdom's 
"  ways  are  ways  of  pleasantness,  and  all  her 
paths  are  peace."  Old  Jacob,  at  the  age  of 
one  hundred  and  thirty  years,  told  Pharaoh, 
"Few  and  evil  have  the  days  of  the  years 
of  my  life  been  "  ;  and  the  author  of  Psalm  xc 
declares,  "The  days  of  our  years  are  three 
score  years  and  ten ;  and  if  by  reason  of 
strength  they  be  four  score  years,  yet  is  their 
strength  labor  and  sorrow." 

But  this  has  not  been  my  experience.  I 
have  had  my  share  of  trials,  and  some  of  them 
severe,  but  my  blessings  have  been  a  thou- 
sand times  more,  and  I  can  clearly  see,  as  I 
look  back  (and  this  is  one  of  the  advantages 
of  age),  that  my  trials  have  all  been  "  bless- 


APPENDIX  345 

ings  in  disguise."  I  can  perceive  now  clearly 
that  they  have  resulted  not  only  in  my  per- 
sonal improvement,  but  that  they  were 
indispensable  to  my  greatest  usefulness.  It 
is  clear  as  day  to  me  now  that,  as  Cowper 
says, — 

The  clouds  ye  so  much  dread 

Are  big  with  mercies,  and  will  break 

In  blessings  on  your  head. 

I  believe  with  Paul,  that  "  these  light  afflic- 
tions, which  are  but  for  a  moment,  work  out 
for  us  a  far  more  exceeding  and  eternal 
weight  of  glory." 

And  finally,  I  am  fully  convinced,  from  my 
own  long  experience  and  observation,  that 
there  is  a  special  providence  of  God  in  all  the 
affairs  of  men.  This  is  clearly  revealed  in 
Scripture,  and  it  has  been  many  times  illus- 
trated in  my  life.  As  I  look  back  I  can  see 
that  God  has  "  led  me  in  a  way  that  I  knew 
not." 

How  often  have  my  plans  been  thwarted  for 
the  best !  How  often  has  God  interposed  to 
protect  me  from  danger  and  from  sin  !  How 
often  has  he  unexpectedly  opened  up  to  me 
opportunities  for  usefulness !  How  often 
upheld  me  in  trials !  How  often  helped 
me  to  meet  responsibilities !  How  often 


34-6         RECOLLECTIONS   OF   A    NONAGENARIAN 

provided  for  my  wants  when  in  straits ! 
I  have  been  young,  and  now  am  old,  yet 
have  I  never  been  forsaken  nor  compelled  to 
beg  bread.  Believe  me,  my  hearers,  young 
and  old,  it  is  safe  to  trust  God  in  all  the  scenes 
and  circumstances  of  life.  "They  that  trust 
in  the  Lord  shall  be  as  Mount  Zion,  which 
cannot  be  moved." 

As  I  look  back  to-day  on  eighty-six  years 
on  earth,  I  can  most  heartily  adopt  the  beau- 
tiful lines  of  the  immortal  Addison,  who,  on 
his  death-bed,  sent  for  a  skeptical  neighboring 
nobleman  to  come  and  see  in  what  peace  a 
Christian  can  die  : 

When  all  thy  mercies,  O  my  God, 

My  rising  soul  surveys, 
Transported  with  the  view,  I  'm  lost 

In  wonder,  love  and  praise. 

Unnumbered  comforts  on  my  soul 

Thy  tender  care  bestowed 
Before  my  infant  heart  conceived 

From  whence  those  comforts  flowed. 

When,  in  the  slippery  paths  of  youth, 

With  heedless  steps  I  ran, 
Thine  arm  unseen  conveyed  me  safe,  • 

And  led  me  up  to  man. 

Thy  bounteous  hand,  with  worldly  bliss, 
Has  made  my  cup  run  o'er ; 


APPENDIX  347 

And,  in  a  kind  and  faithful  friend. 
Has  doubled  all  my  store. 

Ten  thousand  thousand  precious  gifts 

My  daily  thanks  employ. 
Nor  is  the  least  a  grateful  heart 

That  tastes  those  gifts  with  joy. 

Through  every  period  of  my  life 

Thy  goodness  I  '11  pursue, 
And  after  death,  in  distant  worlds, 

The  glorious  theme  renew. 

Through  all  eternity,  to  Thee 

A  joyful  song  I  '11  raise ; 
For  oh,  eternity's  too  short 

To  utter  all  thy  praise ! 


34-8  RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A    NONAGENARIAN 


BRIEF   SKETCH    OF    NORWICH   UNI- 
VERSITY 

The  following  extracts  from  the  catalogue 
of  Norwich  University  will  give  an  idea  of 
its  importance  : 

This  institution  was  founded  in  1819  by 
Capt.  Alden  Partridge,  of  whom  a  cut  ap- 
pears in  this  book,  and  was  known  as  the 
American  Literary,  Scientific  and  Military 
Academy.  It  retained  the  name  until  No- 
vember 6,  1834,  wnen  a  charter  of  incorpo- 
ration was  granted  it  by  the  state  of  Vermont, 
under  the  name  of  Norwich  University. 

Thus  was  founded  theirs/  scientific,  classi- 
cal, and  military  college  in  the  United  States. 
This  new  departure  met  with  universal  favor, 
and  its  halls  were  soon  crowded  with  young 
men  from  every  state  in  the  Union. 

In  March,  1866,  the  university  buildings  at 
Norwich  were  destroyed  by  fire,  and  the 
university  was  removed  to  Northfield,  Ver- 
mont, where  the  citizens  had  offered  fine 
grounds  and  commodious  barracks.  Here 
the  same  system  of  instruction  and  military 
discipline  is  maintained,  and  many  young 


M    j 

5  O 
o   i 


APPENDIX  349 

men  have  been  enabled  to  go  forth  to  fill 
high  positions  in  various  professions. 

This  was  the  first  institution  in  the  country 
to  lay  down  a  purely  scientific  course  of  study, 
and  up  to  the  time  of  the  civil  war,  the  only 
one  which  embraced  in  its  curriculum  thorough 
military,  classical,  and  scientific  courses.  By 
her  work  for  half  a  century  Norwich  Univer- 
sity merits  the  confidence  of  the  public. 
Special  attention  having  been  given  to  mili- 
tary science  and  engineering,  her  graduates 
have  become  particularly  distinguished  as 
army  officers  and  civil  engineers,  some  having 
risen  to  the  foremost  rank. 

The  state  of  Vermont  has  recognized  Nor- 
wich University  by  making  her  corps  of 
cadets  a  part  of  the  state  National  Guard,  in 
which  each  member  is  regularly  enlisted. 
The  United  States  government  has  detailed 
an  officer  from  the  active  list  of  the  army  for 
duty  at  the  university,  as  professor  of  military 
science  and  tactics,  and  sends  an  inspecting 
officer  yearly,  to  note  the  condition  of  the  dis- 
cipline and  drill. 

MILITARY    FEATURE 

Throughout  the  history  of  the  university, 
here  has  been  maintained  a  very  high 


35°          RECOLLECTIONS    OF    A   NONAGENARIAN 

standard  of  military  excellence.  From  the 
first  it  has  held  the  distinction  of  being  the 
foremost  military  institution  in  the  land,  with 
the  exception  of  the  National  Academy.  The 
following  from  Gen.  W.  T.  Sherman's  speech 
before  Ransom  Post,  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  will 
sustain  the  above  statement  regarding  this 
university.  In  speaking  of  Gen.  T.  B. 
Ransom,  he  says:  "He  became  principal 
of  Norwich  University,  then,  as  since,  an 
academy  of  great  renown.  This  military 
school  at  one  time  almost  rivaled  the  National 
Academy  of  West  Point,  and  there  many  a 
man  who  afterwards  became  famous  in  the 
Mexican  and  civil  wars  first  drank  in  the 
inspirations  of  patriotism,  and  learned  the  les- 
sons of  the  art  of  war."  The  reputation  of 
the  New  England  regiments  must  be  attrib- 
uted to  discipline  and  instruction  received  at 
this  institution,  as  much  as  to  any  other  single 
factor;  and  the  "  Green  Mountain  Boys"  owe 
their  national  reputation  and  success  largely 
to  their  training  within  her  halls.  Her  honor 
roll  in  the  late  civil  war  contains  the  names 
of  many  generals  (among  them  Generals 
Dodge,  G.  P.  Buell,  Truman  Seymour, 
George  Wright,  H.  G.  Wright,  Seth  Williams, 
Ransom,  Lander,  Milroy,  Terry),  forty-five 


APPENDIX  351 

colonels,  forty-five  field  officers,  ninety-two 
captains,  seventy  lieutenants,  and  a  long  list 
of  non-commissioned  officers,  together  with 
Rear  Admirals  Paulding  and  Carpenter, 
Commodore  Dewey,  Captains  Ward  and  Col- 
vocoresses  and  others  of  the  navy. 

Among  the  cadets  of  the  original  institution 
at  Norwich,  were  many  men  afterwards  dis- 
tinguished in  civil  or  military  life.  Among 
them  were  Horatio  Seymour,  afterward  gov- 
ernor of  New  York,  and  his  brother,  T.  H. 
Seymour,  governor  of  Connecticut,  C.  Bur- 
dett,  an  adopted  son  of  Aaron  Burr,  G.  R. 
Colvocoresses,  a  native  of  Homer's  isle,  Scio, 
in  Greece,  rescued  after  the  Turkish  massacre 
there,  and  adopted  by  the  Partridges,  after- 
wards prominent  in  the  navy,  A.  Strubede, 
son  of  the  emperor  of  Mexico,  chosen  by 
Maximilian  to  be  his  successor,  etc.  Rev. 
Walter  Colton  was  professor  of  belles-lettres. 

The  university  at  Northfield  is  now  a  flour- 
ishing institution  under  the  presidency  of  Rev. 
A.  D.  Brown,  LL.  D.,  commander,  U.  S. 
navy,  retired. 


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